Jekyll Island in Georgia is a safe haven and nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles. Each year, the giant sea turtles waddle up into the sand dunes where they were born to dig new nests and bury their eggs. Jasmine, the sea turtle, was first tagged in 1991 and might be one of the oldest loggerhead sea turtles nesting on the island. Her estimated age is around 64 years old. She lays eggs approximately every two to three years.
Videos by InspireMore
Females reach maturity at around 35 years old, and these sea animals may live as long as 80 years. They may lay three to five separate nests, about two weeks apart, during the nesting period from March through early June. Each nest may contain up to 100 eggs. The temperature of the sand determines the gender of the hatchlings (cool for boys and warm for girls). The eggs will incubate for about two months. When they hatch, the tiny sea turtles make their way to the ocean.
Loggerhead sea turtles get their name from the log-shaped appearance of their large heads. They are currently listed on and protected by the Endangered Species Act. Jekyll Island has more than 10 miles of shoreline. To protect the nesting grounds, flashlights are only permissible if they have turtle-safe lighting.
There are seven species of sea turtles: leatherback, flatback, green, Kemp’s Ridley, Olive Ridley, hawksbill, and loggerhead. On Jekyll Island, loggerheads make up 95 percent of the egg-laying turtles. Because turtles always return to their place of birth, this figure won’t change much over time.
Visitors can enjoy turtle-watching tours. If you visit, please follow the rules to keep the turtles safe. Find more information on the Jekyll Island website.
Please share.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
