Longboat's final nest hatches

Longboat Key’s final turtle nest of the season hatched earlier this week and will be excavated by Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

The hatching comes as the 2014 nesting season reaches its end. The final day of the six-month nesting season is Oct. 31.

According to Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, preliminary counts show 2,459 total nests from Longboat Key to Venice — just 10 nests short of the record-breaking nesting season in 2012. A total of 2,448 loggerhead turtle, nine green turtle, and two Kemp’s ridley turtle nests were found.

There were 543 nests on Longboat Key, 278 in Manatee County and 265 in Sarasota County. Lido Key beat its record, tallying 98 nests this year.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].