The Safe Hatch Initiative:
Virginia Key Sea Turtles
Project Overview
As a native species on Virginia Key, raccoons play an important role within the barrier island's ecosystem. In 2024 however, more than 50% of our endangered loggerhead sea turtle nests on Virginia Key were predated by raccoons. So what do we do?
Together, with our project partners Turtl Project and Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, and with assistance from Florida Environmental & Wildlife Management Service (FEMS), MORAES plans to survey, assess, and analyze the raccoon population on Historic Virginia Key, hoping to determine the best methods to increase the number of sea turtles reaching our oceans while considering the effects on the wildlife populations and ecosystem as a whole.
All work will be completed under Permit #: MTP 22-153
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Get Involved
So what do we need?
Partners and supporters!
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To do a project like this, with the well-being of the animals and ecosystem in mind, can be expensive. So we're looking for partners to help support our sea turtles and Historic Virginia Key ecosystem.​
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Thank you in advance
for your donation!
Donation Tiers
​​$2,500 - Gold
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$5,000 - Platinum
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$10,000 - Diamond
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So What's the "Nest" Step
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Working with Nicholas Gonzalez of Florida Environmental & Wildlife Management Services, and collaborating with Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, MORAES and Turtl Project plan to assess, survey, and analyze raccoon populations on Historic. Using the collected data from the surveying portion of the project, our team will determine if a percentage of raccoons from Historic Virginia Key will need to be relocated to alternative wildlife areas here in South Florida.
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First, wildlife cameras will be deployed within key areas of Virginia Key, with the footage reviewed and analyzed to determine an ecologically responsible number of raccoons to be safely removed from VKBNPP.​ Next, the raccoons will be relocated to a location within the Miccosukee Indian Reservation, as determined by the Director of Fish & Wildlife at Miccosukee and based upon a need for mammalian introductions. And finally, an additional round of camera deployments will occur to produce a final report and analyze the impact of the relocations on the current and upcoming sea turtle seasons.​
How it Started
A Native Florida Species:
Raccoons play an important role within the barrier island's ecosystem. As native species and a top predator on Virginia Key, there is an expected percentage of predations by raccoons on sea turtle nests and hatchlings in South Florida. Recently however, there seems to be an upward trend affecting the nests on the nesting loggerhead sea turtles. This could be a result of anthropogenic impact, reduction of natural predators, increase in raccoon populations, etc.
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The Threat to Turtles:
In 2024, the MORAES’ sea turtle nesting program documented the loss of nearly 2,000 eggs and 43 hatchlings due to predation. More than 50% of nests were predated during the 2024 season, including the complete loss of 5 nests within 24 hours of being laid. Currently, the loggerhead sea turtle is listed as an endangered species under the ESA (Endangered Species Act), so it’s vital that predation numbers are assessed thoroughly and remedied if needed.
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Sea turtle predation by raccoons can occur at multiple stages during the egg laying and hatching process, and MORAES, along with guidance from Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) has been attempting to mitigate these impacts to ensure predation numbers follow historical trends. From data collection and analysis to the implementation of protective metallic screens at confirmed turtle nests, MORAES and its team of dedicated volunteers have tirelessly working to discover a solution that benefits the raccoons, the endangered sea turtles, and the ecosystem on Virginia Key.
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