Sea Turtles at MacBeach

Sea turtle nesting season runs annually March through October and is a very exciting (and busy time) at the park.  During sea turtle season, visitors can see a sea turtle swimming by or witness a nesting during our evening guided sea turtle walks.  Park staff begins surveying the beach in February looking for any signs of a nesting sea turtle.  Every morning during this time, dedicated park rangers and trained volunteers survey the beach to track and record the number of turtles that come ashore overnight.

Did you know that on average, over 3,000 Green, Loggerhead and Leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs on our 1.6 miles of beach annually? The beach and dune at the park provide a pristine habitat for sea turtles, making our beach one of the most densely nested sea turtle beaches in the state.  Because of this, MacArthur Beach State Park serves as an industry leader for sea turtle and ocean conservation research.  MacArthur Beach State Park is a designated index beach by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

This means that MacBeach is one of only 33 beaches in Florida that is surveyed consistently every year to give us data.  This data is compared between beaches and over time, helps to determine the health and well-being of the sea turtle communities and our oceans.

Guided Evening Turtle Walks at MacBeach

Sea Turtle Walks are back at MacBeach and we couldn’t be more excited! Registration for 2024 walks will open on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 9am. Please review the Turtle Walk Guidelines before purchasing your tickets.

The Turtle Walks start at 8:30 p.m. and run to 11:30 p.m. or later; you must be in the park by 8:15 p.m. No one may leave early as the Park gates are locked. Participants must be able to walk at least 2 miles in sand and must be at least ten years old.

Support John D. MacArthur Beach State Park’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program!

Help show your support to Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park by symbolically Adopting a Sea Turtle Nest at MacBeach!  On average over 3,000 Green, Loggerhead and Leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs on our 1.6 miles of beach annually.  Check out the different donation “levels” that you can adopt a nest at.  All proceeds go directly back into John D. MacArthur Beach State Park’s conservation programs and efforts.

Once you have adopted a nest, you will receive a certificate with your name and nest general location (North, South or Central Nesting Areas).  You can show off to your friends that you have adopted a nest on our interactive map on our website.  If you choose the top level tier, “staked loggerhead nest”, you will receive a marker with your name on it next to one of our already marked nests.

Please note: Sea turtle nesting season in our area of South Florida is March-October.  To avoid predation, MacBeach does not mark every nest. Working with FWC, we do mark every 20th loggerhead sea turtle nest for our on-going citizen science research.

Sea turtles are wild animals and therefore we cannot guarantee a nest or location. Nests will be marked in the order they are received – we cannot take requests of a desired location. If a natural disaster, like a hurricane, washes away the nest or sign it may or may not be marked again, we cannot guarantee re-marking.  But, know, this is a natural process and your contribution is ultimately helping this species!

It is illegal to in any way tamper with a Sea Turtle Nest as Marine Turtles are designated as threatened and/or endangered.  Digging up nests is strictly prohibited and is punishable by law.

Please remember that your tax deductible donation is symbolic and supports all nests at MacBeach and helps us continue our conservation efforts.