Nesting sea turtles are vulnerable to human disturbance, light pollution, and predation at beaches. Beach protection programs reduce mortality and welfare harm at this critical life stage.
Female sea turtles return to their natal beaches to nest every 2-5 years, travelling thousands of miles. Artificial lighting disrupts orientation in emerging hatchlings, causing them to move away from the ocean. Human disturbance of nesting females causes false crawls — returning to the ocean without laying eggs — exhausting females who have made long migrations. Beach driving crushes nests and hatchlings. Nest protection programs using cages, lighting ordinances, and dawn-to-dusk beach access restrictions significantly improve nesting success.