Coyotes destroy first loggerhead sea turtle nests laid on Captiva and part of Sanibel in 2026

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

Coyotes destroyed the first loggerhead sea turtle nests laid in 2026 on Captiva and the east end of Sanibel Wednesday.

According to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, their team did not get to either location in time to apply a screen to help decrease the chance of coyotes destroying the nests.

SCCF has documented eight loggerhead nests this season. The first three nests were laid last week on the western part of Sanibel near Blind Pass, and the first nest of the season was documented by them on April 30.

The sea turtle nests are staked off and will be monitored throughout incubation by SCCF staff and volunteers during daily morning surveys.

The organization said their team is placing stronger and larger screens on nests and experimenting with decoy nests in an effort to divert coyotes away from the sea turtles.

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