Boca’s First Hatchlings

Our first nest to hatch was on Monday, June 16. It was leatherback nest # 3 that was laid on April 11. All nests are excavated 3 days after they hatch in order to inventory the eggs and determine the success of the nest. It is not uncommon to find live hatchlings remaining in the nest, and this nest had one (on the right in the photo below). The rest of this leatherback nest contained 50 hatched shells, 39 dead embryos and infertile eggs, 17 spacers (yolkless eggs) and 7 dead hatchlings.

Our first loggerhead nest of the year, laid on April 26, hatched on Wednesday, June 18. Sadly, this nest was predated by a fox two weeks ago and over 18 eggs were destroyed. Despite placing a screen over the nest it was predated again during hatchout. This time over 20 hatchlings were killed by the fox as they emerged from the nest and were found scattered on the beach. Fox footprints and hatchling tracks can be seen in the photo below. It appears that about 15 hatchlings made it to the ocean. Nine live hatchlings were brought back to Gumbo Limbo but 8 succumbed to their injuries soon afterwards. The lone survivor is on the left in the photo above. This loggerhead nest is scheduled to be excavated on June 21.

Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in fox and raccoon populations in our parks and along our beach front condominiums. This is evident in the increase of predation and predation attempts, and the number of sightings and tracks found on the beach. Raccoon and fox populations are unnaturally high and it is important to not feed these animals. If fed, they do not develop good feeding or food storing skills and can end up starving to death. They also lose their natural wariness to humans and may bite or scratch the feeder and have to be destroyed.