Last Straw

What You Need to Know About Sarasota’s City Ordinance Banning Plastic Straws and Polystyrene

Sidewalk café businesses must begin following the ordinance on Jan. 1, 2020; for those who hold special event permits the ban begins on Aug. 19, 2020; and for those who lease city-owned land on the date their lease renews.

10/01/2019 By Megan McDonald

Sea Turtles

Mote Declares Record-Breaking Year for Sea Turtle Nests in Sarasota Area

And for the first time in the program’s history, there are at least two green sea turtle nests in every region in Mote’s area of monitoring.

08/07/2019 By Staff

Essential Intelligence

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Is Back on Florida's Gulf Coast

Sea turtles have been swimming the world’s oceans for 100 million years, but today their future is precarious.

06/30/2019 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Turtle Power

Two Leatherback Turtle Nests Discovered on Local Beaches

It's an extremely rare occurrence.

05/08/2019 By Megan McDonald

Turtle Power

Mote's 'Run for the Turtles' Raises More Than $40,000

The funds benefit Mote's Sea Turtle Research & Conservation Program.

04/19/2019 By Staff

Crunching the numbers

Number of Sea Turtle Nests on Local Beaches Declines

This year's number remains the third highest recorded in the past 37 years.

10/31/2018 By Giulia Heyward

WTF

Poachers Suspected of Damaging a Sea Turtle Nest on Nokomis Beach

Reminder: tampering with or harming sea turtles, their eggs or their nests nests is illegal.

07/11/2018 By Megan McDonald

Department of Bad Behavior

Eight Sea Turtle Nests Harmed on Siesta Key

An ATV or golf cart dislodged stakes marking existing nests and drove across a newly laid, unmarked nest.

06/26/2018 By Megan McDonald

Flashback

Early Southwest Florida Settlers Feasted on Sea Turtles

The now-endangered sea turtles once were a plentiful source of food.

05/22/2018 By Pam Daniel

Sea Turtle Friendly

Eight Tips For Protecting Sea Turtles During Nesting Season

Keep sea turtles safe on our beaches with these guidelines from Mote Marine Laboratory.

05/09/2018 By Vanessa Blankenship

Turtle Power

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Is Here

Mote Marine Laboratory spots the first nests of the season on Longboat Key.

04/30/2018 By Megan McDonald

Insider's Guide 2017

Our Beaches are a Prime Nesting Site for Endangered Sea Turtles

Our beaches are a prime nesting site for endangered sea turtles.

11/30/2017 By Ilene Denton

Nesting Season

First Sea Turtle Nests of 2017 Reported in Venice

Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1-October 31.

05/01/2017 By Megan McDonald

Environment

Sea Turtle Patrols Begin Again This Week

A group of scientists, interns and volunteers will soon begin monitoring 35 miles of beaches from Longboat Key to Venice.

04/11/2017 By staff

Turtle Power

Local Sea Turtle Nests are Breaking Records

Just two months into nesting season, local nests have surpassed last year's total.

07/07/2016 By Hannah Wallace

Turtle Power

Longboat Key and Casey Key Welcome First Sea Turtle Nests of 2016

2016 looks to be a good year for sea turtle nesting.

05/04/2016 By Felicity Warner

Article

Only in Sarasota: Sea Turtles at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Illustrator John Pirman spots a rescued sea turtle at Sarasota's Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

09/01/2015 By John Pirman

Article

Vintage Sarasota: Clamming in Sarasota Bay

This week's Vintage Sarasota post: A history of clamming in Sarasota.

12/29/2014 By Sarasota County Historical Resources staff members

Article

Florida's Coastal Nursery

For almost an hour we watched in amazement while a mother sea turtle dropped nearly 100 ping-pong sized leathery eggs into the cylindrical sandy hole

08/22/2013 By Robin Draper