Your Complete Guide to Sea Turtle Nesting Season 2026 on Palm Beach County Beaches

Palm Beach County just earned a new title: the Sea Turtle Capital of Florida. With approximately 2 million hatchlings emerging annually from 47 miles of coastline, here's everything you need to know about one of nature's most extraordinary events — happening right in your backyard.

Every spring, something remarkable happens along Palm Beach County's 47 miles of Atlantic coastline. Under cover of darkness, ancient animals that have existed for more than 100 million years drag themselves out of the ocean, dig nests in the sand, deposit their eggs, and disappear back into the water — leaving behind the next generation of one of Earth's most endangered species. Then, roughly 60 days later, hundreds of tiny hatchlings burst from the sand simultaneously and scramble to the sea.

This is sea turtle nesting season, and it happens here — in Juno Beach, Boca Raton, Singer Island, Palm Beach, and dozens of beaches in between — on a scale that exists almost nowhere else on Earth.

In March 2026, Discover The Palm Beaches officially recognized what marine biologists have known for years by designating Palm Beach County as the Sea Turtle Capital of Florida™. The numbers justify the title: the county's beaches host more loggerhead sea turtle nests per mile than anywhere else in the United States, supporting approximately 2 million hatchlings annually. This is not a niche natural event happening in a remote corner of the state. It is happening in your backyard, on beaches you can drive to in under an hour, from now through October.

Here is everything you need to know.

The Numbers: What Makes Palm Beach County Extraordinary

Palm Beach County's remarkable nesting density comes down to geography and oceanography. The county's coastline juts eastward into the Atlantic — further east than virtually any other stretch of the Florida coast — and sits in close proximity to the Gulf Stream's warm, nutrient-rich current. That combination creates an ideal nesting corridor that sea turtles have followed instinctively for millions of years, returning to the same beaches where they were born to lay their own eggs.

With more loggerhead sea turtle nests per mile than anywhere else in the United States, Palm Beach County's beaches support approximately 2 million hatchlings annually. The coastline offers ideal nesting conditions for several sea turtle species, including loggerhead, green, and leatherback turtles. Its eastward-jutting shoreline and proximity to the Gulf Stream create a warm, protected corridor that draws turtles to nest here year after year, with many spending their lives in nearby waters.

On a single barrier island — the Town of Palm Beach — more than 8,000 nests have been recorded in a single season, a density that staggered even experienced marine biologists when they first began systematic counts.

The Three Species You'll Encounter

🟠 Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

Status: Threatened | Most common species on Palm Beach beaches

The loggerhead is the workhorse of Palm Beach County's nesting season — the species responsible for the vast majority of the county's nests, and the one most visitors will encounter if they witness nesting activity firsthand. Named for their disproportionately large heads, loggerheads are powerful swimmers who use their strong jaws to crush the shellfish, crabs, and mollusks that make up the bulk of their diet.

Adult females average 3 to 3.5 feet in shell length and weigh between 200 and 350 pounds. They typically nest every two to three years, laying an average of four to five nests per season, each containing roughly 100 to 120 eggs. Loggerheads usually begin arriving on Palm Beach County beaches in April and May, with nesting activity peaking in June and July.

In 2025, loggerhead turtles had a very successful nesting season statewide, with over 50,000 nests documented on Florida's 27 core index beaches — nest counts returning to levels more commonly observed in the 1990s after decades of conservation efforts.

🟢 Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Status: Threatened | Increasing presence on Palm Beach beaches

Green sea turtles are the second most common nesting species in Palm Beach County, and their numbers have been growing significantly. Named not for the color of their shells — which are typically brown or olive — but for the greenish color of their fat (a result of their herbivorous diet of seagrasses and algae), green turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world.

Adult females can reach 4 feet in length and weigh up to 440 pounds. Green turtles tend to nest later in the season than loggerheads, becoming more prominent beginning in May and June. Their preference for seagrass beds in intracoastal and nearshore waters — the same areas that see heavy recreational boat traffic — makes them particularly vulnerable to boat strikes during nesting season.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton has raised concern about this in 2026 after five juvenile green turtles were killed in boat strikes near the Spanish River Bridge in just five days in early April. The center has urged boaters to obey no-wake zones and actively watch for turtles while underway.

🔵 Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Status: Critically Endangered | Earliest and most dramatic nester

The leatherback is the largest sea turtle species on Earth and one of the largest reptiles alive today — adults can reach 6 feet in length and weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Unlike other sea turtles, leatherbacks lack a hard shell, instead possessing a flexible, leathery carapace that allows them to dive to extraordinary depths in pursuit of jellyfish, their primary prey.

Leatherbacks are the first to arrive each season, typically beginning in March and occasionally as early as February. The 2026 season already got an unusually early sign in Palm Beach County, where a record-breaking leatherback nest was spotted on February 12 in the northern part of the county — and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center documented what it called the earliest leatherback nest of the season on February 11, 2026. These early arrivals generate significant attention among marine biologists and conservation volunteers.

Leatherback nest counts have been increasing exponentially over the period of statewide monitoring — a hopeful trend for a species classified as critically endangered.

The Season Timeline: What Happens When

Understanding the rhythm of nesting season helps families plan visits and know what to expect at different points of the year.

February–March: Leatherbacks arrive first, often before the official season begins. These early nesters are relatively rare and generate excitement among conservation teams when discovered.

April–May: Loggerheads begin arriving in significant numbers. Nesting surveys shift into daily mode. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center begins receiving its first season patients — turtles with boat strike injuries, entanglement in fishing gear, or other trauma.

June–July: Peak nesting season. The beaches of Juno Beach, Singer Island, Palm Beach, and Boca Raton are at their most active. Guided turtle walks have the highest probability of witnessing actual nesting activity. Hatchling releases begin toward the end of July as the earliest nests from May complete their incubation period. This is the best time of year for families to book turtle walk experiences.

August–September: Nesting activity declines but hatchling emergence is at its peak. Nest evaluations become the primary activity — conservation teams excavate completed nests to assess hatch success rates and assist any disoriented hatchlings.

October: Season officially closes October 31. Final nests complete incubation. Conservation teams compile season totals and submit data to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the statewide database.

Where to See Sea Turtles: The Best Beaches & Programs

🐢 Loggerhead Marinelife Center — Juno Beach

14200 US Hwy 1, Juno Beach | Open daily 10am–5pm | Free admission

Recognized as the No. 1 'Best Free Attraction' by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2024 and 2025, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is the essential starting point for any family wanting to understand sea turtle conservation in Palm Beach County. The center patrols 9.5 miles of Palm Beach County beach during nesting season, rehabilitates nearly 100 sea turtles annually, and operates a real-time working hospital that visitors can observe any day of the week at no cost.

Guided turtle walks (June–July): The Loggerhead Marinelife Center's guided nighttime turtle walks take groups onto Juno Beach to observe nesting activity with expert guides. Age 9+. Reservation required beginning May 1. Space is extremely limited — these walks book quickly. Check marinelife.org for 2026 dates and booking.

World Ocean Weekend Film Festival — June 13–14, 2026: A two-day event celebrating ocean conservation in partnership with the International Ocean Film Foundation, held at the center during World Ocean Day weekend. Family-friendly programming throughout.

🐢 Gumbo Limbo Nature Center — Boca Raton

1801 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton | Free admission

Gumbo Limbo sits on one of Boca Raton's most important nesting beaches and operates its own sea turtle rehabilitation program alongside the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Gumbo Limbo's Resident Sea Turtle Talks occur daily at 1 p.m., giving visitors the opportunity to meet the resident sea turtles on site, whose injuries prevent them from ever returning to the ocean.

Guided turtle walks: Gumbo Limbo offers guided nighttime turtle walks and seasonal hatchling releases during nesting season. Reservations required; check myboca.us for 2026 scheduling.

Nesting totals: Live nesting totals for Boca Raton's beaches are posted on the Gumbo Limbo website throughout the season — a useful way to track activity before planning a visit.

🐢 John D. MacArthur Beach State Park — North Palm Beach

10900 Jack Nicklaus Dr., North Palm Beach | $4–$6/vehicle

MacArthur Beach State Park offers one of the most organized and accessible turtle walk programs on the Palm Beach County coast. For the 2026 season, turtle walks are offered on Tuesday and Friday evenings in May, June, and July excluding holidays. The program begins at 9pm and concludes at 11:30pm. Participants meet at a pavilion for a 20-minute ranger talk and Q&A. The state park charges no additional fee beyond regular park entrance. Reservations required, starting May 1 by calling the park directly.

In past seasons, MacArthur Beach walks have had approximately a 50-50 chance of witnessing actual nesting activity — one of the better odds of any organized turtle walk program in South Florida.

🐢 Palm Beach County ERM Free Turtle Walks — Jupiter

Jupiter beaches | Free admission

Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management hosts five free sea turtle walks in Jupiter each June — the only free turtle walks in The Palm Beaches. These walks provide an unbeatable value for families who want the guided turtle walk experience without the cost of the organized programs at other venues. Dates and registration details are available through Palm Beach County's Parks & Recreation website. Space is limited — register as soon as dates are announced.

🐢 Sea Turtle Adventures — North Palm Beach

North Palm Beach

Sea Turtle Adventures offers guided turtle walks, public hatch success evaluations, and a ride-along program that gives participants a behind-the-scenes look at the work of conservation professionals conducting nesting surveys. A more immersive option for families with older children or adults interested in a deeper conservation experience. Check seaturtleadventures.com for 2026 programming.

How to Be a Responsible Beachgoer During Nesting Season

This is the most important section of this guide. The behaviors that help or harm sea turtles during nesting season are simple — and widely misunderstood by casual beachgoers.

🌑 Keep Beaches Dark at Night

Artificial light is the single biggest threat to sea turtles and hatchlings on the beach. Female turtles use natural darkness to orient themselves when coming ashore to nest, and hatchlings navigate to the ocean by detecting the natural light horizon over the water. White lights, flashlights, phone screens, and camera flashes can disorient both nesting adults and hatchlings — sending hatchlings inland toward roads rather than toward the ocean, with fatal results.

What to do:

• Never use white lights or camera flash on the beach at night during nesting season
• Use red-filtered flashlights only if you need light — red wavelengths are not visible to sea turtles
• Oceanfront properties across Palm Beach County are required to shield or turn off lights visible from the beach during nesting season; this is law, not suggestion

🪣 Fill in Holes and Remove Equipment

Holes dug in the sand during the day become deadly traps for nesting females and hatchlings at night. A female loggerhead dragging herself up the beach to nest can fall into a hole and be unable to get out, exhausting herself trying. Hatchlings can become trapped in holes and die before reaching the water.

What to do:

• Fill in any holes you dug before leaving the beach
• Remove beach chairs, umbrellas, and all equipment from the beach before dark
• Keep the beach flat, clear, and dark from sunset to sunrise

🚫 Never Touch, Approach, or Disturb a Nesting Turtle

Approaching a nesting female too closely — or using lights near her — can cause her to abort her nesting attempt and return to the sea without laying her eggs. An "aborted" crawl means 100 eggs that will not be laid on that visit.

What to do:

• If you encounter a nesting female, stop immediately and observe silently from a distance of at least 30 feet
• Never use lights near a nesting female
• Never touch the turtle or attempt to interact with her
• Keep children quiet and still — sudden movement or noise can cause abandonment

⛵ Boaters: Watch for Turtles in Nearshore and Intracoastal Waters

Green sea turtles feed on seagrass beds in intracoastal and shallow nearshore waters — the same areas that see the heaviest recreational boat traffic during summer. Boat strikes are a leading cause of sea turtle injury and death in Palm Beach County.

What to do:

• Observe all no-wake zones in intracoastal and nearshore waters
• Watch actively for sea turtles when underway, especially in shallow areas
• If you see an injured or distressed sea turtle, call the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-3922

What to Do If You Find a Nest — or a Turtle

Found a nest: Do not disturb it. Marked nests will have orange flags or protective stakes placed by conservation surveyors. Unmarked nests can appear as a disturbed area of sand with flipper drag marks leading to and from the ocean. Note the location and contact the Loggerhead Marinelife Center (561-627-8280) or Gumbo Limbo (561-544-8605) to report it.

Found an injured, sick, or dead sea turtle: Call the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission immediately at 1-888-404-3922. Do not attempt to move or handle the animal.

Found disoriented hatchlings during the day: Hatchlings that emerge during daylight are at risk of overheating and predation. Call the nearest sea turtle conservation center immediately. Do not attempt to carry hatchlings to the water — they need to make the crawl themselves to imprint on the beach, which guides them back to nest here as adults.

Supporting Sea Turtle Conservation Year-Round

Watching a sea turtle come ashore or witnessing hatchlings scrambling to the ocean for the first time is an experience that changes people — particularly children. If you or your family want to extend that connection beyond a single beach visit, there are several meaningful ways to support the conservation work happening in Palm Beach County year-round.

Adopt a sea turtle patient at Loggerhead Marinelife Center starting at $40. Your adoption directly funds the care and rehabilitation of an injured patient currently in the hospital. Families receive updates on their turtle's recovery and release.

Volunteer with LMC as a beach surveyor, hospital volunteer, or education program assistant. The center relies heavily on volunteers to conduct its daily nesting surveys and run its educational programming.

Support Gumbo Limbo Nature Center through the Friends of Gumbo Limbo gift store or direct donation. The center operates on a shoestring budget and free admission model that depends entirely on community support.

Follow responsible beach habits year-round. The beach practices that protect sea turtles — keeping beaches clear of equipment at night, avoiding artificial light, filling in holes — should become automatic habits for any South Florida family.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

Palm Beach County's designation as the Sea Turtle Capital of Florida is not just a tourism marketing badge. It is a recognition of something genuinely extraordinary — a place where, against enormous odds, one of Earth's most ancient and endangered animals continues to thrive because enough people chose to protect it.

Sea turtles have existed since the age of the dinosaurs. They survived mass extinction events, ice ages, and millions of years of natural selection. What they could not survive on their own was the combination of coastal development, artificial lighting, plastic pollution, boat strikes, and fishing gear entanglement that the modern era brought. Florida's sea turtle populations crashed through the mid-20th century before conservation efforts, legal protection, and community stewardship began turning the tide.

The 2 million hatchlings that emerge from Palm Beach County beaches each year are not just a statistic — they are the visible result of that effort. They represent decades of beach lighting ordinances, conservation surveys, rehabilitation centers, boater education, and residents who learned to fill in their holes and turn off their lights.

For families in Palm Beach County, nesting season is an opportunity to be part of that story. The turtles don't need an audience. But the children who watch them — who understand, even briefly, what it means for an ancient creature to trust a beach with her eggs — tend to grow up differently. They tend to care about the ocean. And caring about the ocean, in the long run, is exactly what the turtles need most.

Sources: Discover The Palm Beaches press release March 2, 2026 (PRNewswire), Boca Post April 3, 2026, Palm Beach Now March 18, 2026, Florida Rambler 2026 sea turtle walks guide (updated April 2026), Loggerhead Marinelife Center (marinelife.org), Gumbo Limbo Nature Center (myboca.us), Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Index Nesting Beach Survey, CBS12 Palm Beach Sea Turtle Capital coverage March 2026, By The Sea Realty sea turtle nesting update March 2026. Article prepared by The Friendly Scoop, powered by Homes by Cusi · Keller Williams Realty.

🏡 Thinking About Buying or Selling in South Florida?

If you're considering a move to Palm Beach County or anywhere in South Florida, our friends at Homes by Cusi share expert insights on the local market, neighborhood guides, and home buying tips on their blog.

For a deeper look at what to expect in the year ahead, read their South Florida housing market forecast and local buying guide.