FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Strong waves and beach erosion have been devastating vulnerable turtle nests and killing hatchlings.
The Sea Turtle Oversight Protection, a nonprofit organization that relies on volunteers to monitor the nests, has reported “a war zone” in Fort Lauderdale Beach.
A STOP volunteer who monitors the barrier island regularly reported that the waves are washing sea turtle eggs out to sea or burying them deep in the sand.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been working with city officials to respond to the concerns. Nesting season runs through October.
Storms, sea-level rise, and high tide are among the natural causes of coastal erosion. Man-made causes include coastal developments and waterway construction.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently reported, “nearly all of Broward County is critically eroded” and listed Fort Lauderdale as being in “a continuous critically eroded area.”
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