We have some lovely news to share from Indian River County’s beaches. In its October 6, 2026 report, WQCS said more than 14,000 sea turtle nests had been counted that season. About 10,000 were loggerhead nests, the highest loggerhead count reported since county tracking began in 2005.
That is news worth passing along over the dinner table. It is also a good reason to keep looking after the stretch of sand where the next chapter is still happening.
Why the season can continue beyond October
Indian River County’s official nesting season runs from March 1 through October 31. Those dates help organize beach protection, but eggs already in the sand do not follow a calendar deadline.
Coastal Connections executive director Kendra Bergman told WQCS that some late green turtle nests could hatch as late as December. That is a possibility, not a promised date for a hatchling sighting. A marked nest still deserves room after the busiest beach months have passed.
The reported number counts nests, rather than individual mothers or hatchlings. One female can lay several nests in a season. It is encouraging news, while the work of protecting turtles continues.
Meet the turtles sharing our coast
The county identifies three regular nesting species: loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles. Its 22.4 miles of coastline give these animals a place to begin life. Around Vero Beach, a patch of sand beside a familiar beach access can be part of a much larger ocean journey.
Each species has its own place in the food web. Loggerheads use powerful jaws to crush animals such as crabs and clams. Leatherbacks feed on soft animals, including jellyfish. Adult green turtles eat mostly seagrasses and algae, according to NOAA Fisheries.
The Florida Museum explains how green turtles’ grazing changes seagrass meadows, removing older growth and influencing the food available to other creatures. Protecting turtles and protecting the places they feed belong together. These connections matter along our ocean beaches and in the Indian River Lagoon.
A few ways your family can help
Whether your next beach day is in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Jensen Beach or elsewhere on the Treasure Coast, FWC’s nesting guidance gives us a practical place to start.
Let the beach stay dark. Turn off unnecessary lights visible from the beach and close curtains after dark. For lighting that must remain, follow FWC guidance: keep it low, use appropriate long wavelength light and shield the fixture so the light is not visible from the sand.
Give turtles and nests room. Follow posted nest protections, stay well back from turtles and never touch eggs or handle hatchlings. Let children watch from a respectful distance. A nest marker is something to walk around, with plenty of space.
Take your beach day home with you. Gather toys, chairs, food scraps and litter before sunset. Fill holes your group dug, without disturbing nests or protected areas. Those ordinary end of the day habits help keep the route between the nest and ocean clear.
If you find a sick, injured, entangled or dead sea turtle, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888 404 3922 and follow their instructions.
A thank you to the people caring for our beaches
To the conservation workers, permitted monitors, volunteers and residents who keep showing up for these animals, thank you. Coastal Connections in Vero Beach offers local conservation education and permitted turtle experiences. Its Beach Basket program also gives beachgoers a simple way to collect litter. Check the organization’s location map before planning to use a basket.
A child asking why we leave a nest alone is the start of a good conversation. We can explain, give the turtles room and leave the beach a little kinder than we found it.
For your next easy shore visit, try our three things to notice on a Treasure Coast beach. There is plenty to enjoy without getting close to wildlife.
