JUNO BEACH, Fla. — As the sun begins to peak over the horizon, casting bright ember rays across the shimmering ocean, marine biologists at Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) revved up their ATVs to cover nearly ten miles of beach in search of overnight sea turtle nesting.
After finding what at first glance looked like tire tracks, Sarah Hirsch and Dr. Justin Perrault hopped off their quad and follow the steady tracks up the beach toward the dunes, their practiced eyes discerned the telltale signs of a green sea turtle’s overnight visit.
“Our team can log over a thousand turtle tracks during peak season,” said Hirsch, who has dedicated nearly a decade to studying these shores.
She entered the data into her GPS device in hand, marking the exact location and details of the nest. This process has come a long way since the days of painstakingly charting with pen and paper.
This advancement is part of an ongoing collaboration with a team of data scientists and engineers from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), who volunteered their expertise to support these conservation efforts.
As FPL leverages data to deliver reliable electricity to customers every day, the company is partnering with LMC to help modernize the way information about the turtles is captured and stored – freeing up time for LMC to focus on research.
"All sea turtle species are threatened or endangered," Hirsch explained. "Our job is to better protect them, and the best way to do that is with knowledge. This technology allows us to spend more time analyzing data, which directly translates into better conservation strategies."
Lori Kolaczkowski, a data scientist with FPL, never imagined her background in marine biology would come full circle in such a meaningful way. While her colleagues Mackenzie Knight and Alena Krause are actively working to develop the mobile application, Kolaczkowski is leading the charge on analyzing historical data with LMC researchers.
“When I’m diving and see a turtle up close, I find comfort knowing that the work our teams are doing is helping them,” Kolaczkowski said. “It’s awesome to work for a company valuing conservation and these endangered animals.”
Since 1987, LMC researchers have conducted daily dawn nesting patrols along the beaches of northern Palm Beach County, carefully documenting the activity of these beloved animals. The information gathered is critical for understanding and protecting the various sea turtle species that nest along Florida's coastline.
“The FPL team found some interesting trends in predators threatening turtle nests, like a decrease in raccoons and increase in coyotes, which is now on our radar to keep track of,” said Perrault. “Different perspectives have really changed the way we even look at our data.”
As the sun sets, casting long shadows across the sand, Hirsch and Dr. Perrault know their work is far from over. But as they ride along the beach, they’re reminded of the larger impact of their efforts—especially when they think of sea turtles like Donnashello. who they’ve been tracking for months.
With the help of a satellite transmitter temporarily attached to this Loggerhead turtle’s back, LMC researchers are getting a deeper look into nesting habits and clutch frequency, how many nests a female will lay in a season.
Under the glow of the moon, Donnashello hauled her 190-pound body onto the beach, inching her way toward the dunes with determination. After digging a nest and laying more than a hundred eggs, she carefully covered them with sand, ensuring they were well-hidden from predators before she returned to the sea.
This was one of seven nests Donnashello laid in 2023 before heading back to her foraging grounds in the Florida Keys.
“We’re now starting to see a pattern of when in the tidal cycle they emerge from the waters to nest,” said Dr. Perrault. This digital transformation will continue to advance and simplify data analysis. Ultimately, integrating all these capabilities into one mobile app, allowing LMC researchers to spend even more of their time finding patterns like this.
This work is vital to ensuring future generations witness the wonder of a sea turtle nesting on Florida beaches. As long as there are turtles like Donnashello returning to these shores, this team is ready to protect them, one track at a time.
“We’re all learning how to better protect this unique area we call home," said Hirsh.
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