Clearwater Marine Aquarium Staff and Volunteers Help Over 7,000 Sea Turtle Hatchlings Make it to the OceanCLEARWATER – As the 2008 sea turtle nesting season wraps up, Clearwater Marine Aquar-ium is pleased to announce it helped safely guide 7,399 live hatchlings to the Gulf waters. Altogether, 108 nests were located on Pinellas County beaches. “Last year, only 38 nests were found, so this a major increase from last year,” said Mike Anderson, manager of sea turtle nesting. “We are hoping this trend of increasing nest numbers will continue.” CMA oversees sea turtle nesting on 26 miles of Pinellas County beaches, locating and protecting nests, and ensuring the hatchlings make their way into the ocean. Sea turtle nesting season runs each year from May through October. Over the last three years, CMA has released more than 20,000 hatchlings into the Gulf.
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