Florida Sets New Sea Turtle Nesting Record With 2,012 Leatherback Nests in 2025

Leatherback sea turtles shattered Florida's nesting record with 2,012 nests. The previous record was 1,848 nests back in 2022. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced these final counts on Tuesday when the season wrapped up.

Green turtles had their second-best year ever, with 66,476 nests dotting the shoreline—about 10,000 shy of their peak. Loggerheads stayed on top as the most frequent nesters, tallying 100,951 nests across the state, though numbers dipped from what researchers saw in prior years.

Kemp's ridley turtles left behind 12 confirmed nests. Twenty-one more sit in limbo, waiting for genetic tests to verify them. Hawksbill turtles? None showed up to nest during 2025.

Data poured in from 225 watched beaches spanning roughly 822 miles of coast. Biologists tracked every nest. Interns helped. Volunteers pitched in. Permit holders sent reports throughout the months.

"A huge thank you to the biologists, interns, volunteers, and permit holders who worked tirelessly to collect and report this data," FWC said, per Gulf Coast News Now. "Your dedication drives sea turtle conservation forward!"

Five sea turtle species nest along Florida's beaches, and FWC monitors them all. Kemp's ridley turtles stay scarce. Each season brings just a smattering of confirmed nests that scientists must verify through genetic analysis.