The 2025 sea turtle nesting season officially begins!
It’s that time of year again! It’s the start of the 2025 sea turtle nesting season on Bonaire. As of May 1st, the Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) staff and volunteer beachkeepers conduct their nesting patrols on Klein Bonaire, Te Amo Beach, Donkey Beach, and other areas along the southern coast of Bonaire. Patrols on Playa Chikitu, a green turtle nesting site, will also begin soon.
Typically, Bonaire sees an average of 100 nests. In fact, the 2024 nesting season resulted in 131 nests, with 74 nests on Klein, 25 on Playa Chikitu, and 31 in the south. A total of 10,377 beautiful little hatchlings safely made it out of their nest! It was a very successful nesting season!
The first nests of the season!
Tagging turtles, presentation, and cleanups
STCB also tags turtles for research. They typically capture a few hundred turtles, with some of those turtles being recaptured, and the data are updated before release. The new turtles will be tagged and released back into nature. They also give presentations for various groups and organize clean-ups that include fishing line clean-up dives and weekly clean-ups on Klein Bonaire and Playa Chikitu.
How you can get involved?
Those eager to get involved and join the volunteer patrols during the 2025 sea turtle nesting season should contact STCB and find out how you can help. Additionally, you can sponsor a nest through the Adopt-A-Nest program. STCB is very grateful for your continuous support.
(Photo by Meredith Schnoll)
