South Florida beachgoers are getting some encouraging wildlife news this summer: endangered leatherback sea turtles are nesting in record numbers along Boca Raton’s shoreline.
For researchers who monitor the species year after year, the surge is an uplifting sign at a time when marine animals face mounting pressure.
What happened?
On Boca Raton beaches, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s count has reached 42 leatherback nests this season, WFLX reported. That total is a new local record and more than twice the area’s usual yearly average.
According to WFLX, Palm Beach County is among the most significant leatherback nesting regions in the continental United States. Scientists think the nearby Gulf Stream may help draw nesting females to these shores, which makes the area’s beaches a crucial nesting zone for the species…