Sea Turtles on Alabama's Beaches
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
As the weather warms up in the summer, people head to the Gulf Coast to enjoy our beautiful beaches. However, they're not the only ones who love Alabama's beaches during the warmer seasons, as sea turtles visit our shorelines to lay eggs. The Alabama Coast Foundation established Share the Beach to conserve this endangered species, a program created to protect sea turtles and their nests.
Every year sea turtles make the journey to the shore to start nesting and laying their eggs. Loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, and green turtles use our beaches as nesting grounds. Turtles return to the same beach where they were hatched to have their eggs, so the turtles that visit our beaches are Alabama Gulf Coast natives. From the time they arrive on land to lay eggs to the moment the hatchlings crawl toward the water, their survival is at risk. During hatching season, May through October, hundreds of Share the Beach volunteers work to protect these sea turtles and ensure the safety of their nests.
Founded in 2005 by the Friends of the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge, Share the Beach is Alabama's sea turtle conservation program. It protects and promotes the livelihood and habitat of sea turtles along the Alabama Coast. This program works to mitigate human-related impacts on these creatures, monitor nests and hatchlings, and promote the conservation of sea turtles in the state through public outreach education.
Share the Beach follows US Fish and Wildlife Service's protocols under the endangered species recovery permit. Those who volunteer to patrol the Beach, educate the public and school groups, conduct late-night observations, and assist with supply and equipment preparations. These efforts help ensure the protection of sea turtles.
Sea turtles are an endangered species, so we all must do our part to protect them. You can aid in the conservation of sea turtles by learning more about our marine-life friends and how to spot their nests.
How You Can Help
- Avoid flashlights or flash photography at night, as the light can disorient the turtles.
- Stop by one of our Welcome Centers to get stickers to cover your phone flashlight or hand-held flashlight.
- If you encounter a turtle nest, keep your distance and don't disturb it.
- Always clean up after a day at the beach and leave only footprints.
- Turn off any patio or outside lights that shine on the beach at night.
- Fill in any holes dug in the sand.
By doing these and supporting the efforts put forth by Share the Beach, you are increasing their chances of survival.
If you're a Gulf Shores or Orange Beach resident, you can volunteer with Share the Beach during the nesting season (May 1 through October 31).
Start planning a beach getaway to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to see why people and turtles alike love Alabama's Gulf Coast.
