Leatherback sea turtles set Florida nesting record in 2025

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida’s 2025 sea turtle nesting season has officially wrapped, with new numbers showing a record-breaking year for one species, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC reports leatherback turtles set a new statewide record with 2,012 nests, surpassing the previous high set in 2022.

Green turtles also had a standout season, with 66,476 nests, making 2025 the second-highest green turtle nesting year on record.

Loggerhead turtles remained the most common nester, with 100,951 nests documented statewide, a total slightly below recent years.

Kemp’s ridley turtles remained rare, with 12 confirmed nests and 21 additional nests pending genetic confirmation. No hawksbill nests were reported.

The data was collected from 225 monitored beaches across roughly 822 miles of Florida coastline.

FWC credited biologists, interns, volunteers and permit holders for their role in documenting the nesting season.