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TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. () — It’s that time of year again along the Georgia Coast – sea turtle nesting season is officially underway. Thousands of visitors flock to Tybee Island and Georgia’s Coasts each summer, but some of the most important guests arrive under the cover of night.
While beachgoers enjoy Tybee’s sunny shores, what happens after dark is truly magical.
Each summer, loggerhead sea turtles return to nest, and the Island steps up to ensure they’re safe.
Nesting season is underway on Tybee Island, running May through October. To keep hatchlings from getting disoriented, all lights on the beach must be turned off at dark. Wildlife experts predict 2025 to be a strong year for nesting following a three-year cycle seen in Georgia’s Loggerhead population.
Loggerhead Sea Turtles lay up to 120 eggs at night, and volunteers mark the nests each morning to protect them. Experts expect more nests this year, and the Tybee Marine Science Center continues to educate visitors, with help from their resident sea turtle.
A Tybee ordinance states that your beachfront lights should he out from sunrise to sunset to help the turtles. And if you must use lights, make sure it is a red flashlight.
How you can help the sea turtle
– Lights out on Tybee: sunset to sunrise | May to October
– Avoid nests & use red flashlights only
– Clean up trash, flatten sandcastles, fill holes
Sea turtle nesting season is a special time on Tybee, and even small actions can make a big difference for these hatchlings.
Beachgoers can help by cleaning up trash, filling in holes, and flattening sandcastles for a successful nesting season here on Georgia’s coast.
It’s a shared responsibility to help them reach the ocean safely.