Don’t use flambeaux or campfires while on nesting beaches at night. Campfires can literally bake the nests beneath them and light scares and disorients turtles and hatchlings. For this reason, beachfront lights should also be turned off at night during the nesting season.
Don’t smoke while there are turtles on the beach.
Don’t litter. Garbage left on the beach can trap hatchlings and prevent them from reaching the sea. Turtles at sea can choke or suffocate when they mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish.
Don’t drive on nesting beaches. Vehicles can crush entire clutches of eggs beneath the sand.
Don’t stake umbrellas or other objects on nesting beaches, nests will not always be obvious. For this reason, sandcastles should also be kept below the high water mark to avoid accidentally disturbing or destroying any eggs.
Turtle Encounter Guidelines
As soon as a turtle has been sighted, slowly retreat to a distance of 20m (60ft) away from her and make yourself comfortable. The entire nesting process can take up to two hours.
Flash photography of nesting turtles is not recommended. In some places it constitutes harassment and is illegal.
Flash photography can blind and disorient turtles and complicates their return to the sea.
Hatchlings
Be very careful where you put your feet when there are hatchlings on the beach as they are difficult to see at night and can be easily crushed!
Do not touch or disturb emerging hatchlings, as they must orient themselves to their environment by crossing the beach; never place hatchlings directly into the sea. As far as possible, remove any objects (sandcastles, debris etc.) or predators (dogs etc.) and turn off or block any light sources that may complicate the hatchling’s journey to the sea.
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