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Sea turtle hatchlings found at only nesting site in state for third consecutive year
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CHALMETTE — Sea turtle hatchlings have been found on the Chandeleur Islands for the third year.
On Thursday, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced the 60 loggerhead hatchlings emerging from their nests.
The turtles hatched from two nests on the islands within a day of each other. This year's hatchlings came after researchers conducted surveys for endangered sea turtle nests for the last three years as part of a $300 million project to restore and enhance the remote barrier island chain. The project is expected to be finished by 2026.
A total of 28 crawls were documented in the 2024 nesting season, with 15 nests confirmed, the agencies said.
The turtles were found on the islands in August 2022 for the first time in over 75 years. Since 2022, 136 turtle crawls have been recorded on the islands, making it one of the highest-density nesting beaches in the northern Gulf of Mexico and the only sea turtle nesting area in Louisiana.
The Chandeleur Islands are also home to 79 species designated as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” and the largest and most diverse assemblage of marine seagrass meadows in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, the conservation agencies said.
“The importance of the Chandeleur Islands to Louisiana’s coast cannot be overstated,” LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan said. “Not only do they help protect coastal communities from storm surge, but they host significant habitats and a variety of rare species not found anywhere else in Louisiana, making these islands a fundamental part of our conservation efforts.”
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