Longboat Key hosts first turtle nest of the season

One day before the official start of sea turtle nesting season, Longboat Key has become the local host to two of the first nests of the year.

Mote Marine Laboratory volunteers found two nests last weekend on Longboat's shores, according to a Mote news release. Loggerhead turtles laid the first of three nests on local barrier island Saturday, as well as another on Casey Key Monday.

“We started hearing reports of nests along southern parts of our coast last week," said Mote Senior Biologist Kristen Mazzarella. "So we were expecting our first local nest, and we hope this nest will be the start of another successful nesting season.”

Turtle nesting season officially kicks off May 1, and scientists and volunteers are hoping for the upward trend from previous years to continue.

“The trend has been good since 2008, so we’re hoping for even better this year,” said Mazzarella in a previous interview with the Longboat Observer. “We’re always hoping for more turtles this year than the last.”