Scientists Predict Baby Boom for Leatherback Sea Turtles in Florida

Leatherback sea turtle nests have increased by more than 10 percent a year along the coast of 68 beaches in Florida since 1979, according to researchers at Duke University. The increased nesting suggests that conservation and recovery efforts mandated under the Endangered Species Act are working.

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Improved monitoring of protected nesting beaches may not be the only factor in the turtles’ comeback. Changing ocean conditions could be keeping predators at bay and bringing in their favorite fare, like jellyfish.



While the news is good for Florida’s leatherback sea turtles, their numbers still suffer in countries like Mexico and Costa Rica, where they are on the brink of extinction. Costa Rica once hosted thousands of female leatherbacks each year.