While vacationing in a resort at Lauderdale-By-The-Sea on the Fourth of July, I learned that one of the turtle nests in front of our building was that of a leatherback. Each of the world’s seven species of sea turtles are classified as either threatened or endangered, but the leatherbacks are “critically endangered.” Three species make nests in Broward — loggerheads (“threatened”), green sea turtles (“endangered”), and leatherbacks. Ninety percent are loggerheads, so a leatherback nest is rare. The good news is that their numbers are on the uptick this year, with 30 nests in Broward. However, since an adult can lay five nests in one season, potentially there are only six leatherbacks laying eggs on our shores.
