Beach 'sculptures' threaten sea turtle nests

HUTCHINSON ISLAND – They might be whimsical; they might be fun; they might even be art.

But they're definitely a threat to sea turtles.

"Sculptures" of stacked coquina rock being built on some St. Lucie County beaches could be keeping sea turtles from nesting and could, if they're knocked over by wind or high waves, keep hatchling sea turtles from being able to leave their nests.

"Yeah, the rock towers can look kind of cool," said Niki Desjardin, senior scientist at Ecological Associates in Jensen Beach, which monitors sea turtle nesting in parts of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties. "But they're not good for sea turtles."

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Most of the sculptures are in southern St. Lucie County, Desjardin said, from Waveland Beach north to Dollman Beach.

Several of the sculptures about waist-high, said St. Lucie County spokesman Erick Gill.

One rock tower just north of Waveland is about 5 feet tall, Desjardin said.

"We came across a few of them during nesting season last year," Desjardin said, "but we've been seeing more of them since early March when this year's nesting season began and we started doing our daily nest patrols."

Nest surveyors haven't found evidence that the stacks have blocked a turtle heading to a nest site, said Ecological Associates biologist Samantha Pessolano, "but it's still early in the nesting season. We'd rather stop this practice before it becomes a problem." 

Coquina creations

Recent winds and high tides have eroded beaches and exposed and broken up chunks of coquina, a sedimentary rock made up of compressed sand and seashells, Pessolano said.

The rocks tend to be flat, which makes them easy to stack.

"While these impromptu sculptures may be great artwork and very creative," said Monica Graziani, St. Lucie County building and code manager, "we want to educate people that they should leave the rocks where they are."

Rocks on the beach are natural impediments to sea turtle nests, Desjardin said. "Stacked rocks are an unnatural impediment. It's best to just let nature take care of itself."

Besides hindering nesting turtles, a tower could collapse on top a nearby nest, Desjardin said. "That could trap the baby sea turtles under the sand and rock."

The rule of thumb, Gill said, is "don't leave stuff out on the beach, especially during turtle nesting season; and these stacks are just more stuff left on the beach."

Nesting now

Nesting season began in early March and runs through Nov. 15. The arrival of the three species commonly found on the Treasure Coast overlap, but generally, leatherbacks come first, followed by loggerheads and then green sea turtles.

Nest totals in 2017 along the Treasure Coast were:

• Leatherbacks: 359
• Loggerheads: 22,050
• Greens: 9,355

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Only leatherbacks are still considered "endangered" by the federal Endangered Species Act. Loggerheads and green turtles are listed as "threatened."

Greens are the only species that spend time in the Indian River Lagoon.

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Whether endangered or threatened, sea turtles, their nests and their eggs are protected by federal and state laws. Disturbing them is a violation of state and federal laws and could lead to criminal penalties.

More: With climate change, almost all sea turtles born female

Lights out

All three counties along the Treasure Coast have laws limiting lighting at residences and businesses on and near the beach. The laws vary slightly by county, but in general they require:

• Turning off exterior lights directly visible from the beach or illuminating areas on the seaward side of the beach dune between sunset and sunrise during nesting season.
• Window treatments — preferably blackout drapes or shade screens, but window tint can be used — on all windows that can be seen from the beach.

People aren't supposed to touch sea turtles — even hatchlings that appear to be having trouble reaching the ocean.

"We'd prefer to let nature take its course," said Robbin Trindell, an administrator at Florida's marine turtle management program. "But we want to help people help sea turtles when, and only when, help is needed."

Those times include when they look unhealthy or when they look healthy, but are heading away from the ocean or are blocked from getting to the ocean.

Other turtle-friendly recommendations include:

• Don't use flashlights or light bonfires on the beach during nesting season. 
• Don't leave furniture on the beach.
• Keep dogs on leashes so they don't dig up sea turtle nests.
• Fill in holes in the sand dug by dogs or children so mother sea turtles can make their way to nest sites and baby sea turtles can get to the water.

How to help

To report sea turtle nest poaching, disoriented hatchlings, harassment and injured or dead sea turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hotline: 1-888-404-FWCC.