Although there are current seven species of sea turtles in the world - all facing extinction - Florida's green sea turtles are experiencing a resurgence, with approximately 14,152 nests counted in 2015 at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge at the end of egg-laying season, according to TakePart. This resurgence is so prominent that wildlife officials are set to downgrade thir conservation status, albeit slightly, on the federal endangered species list.
"From any spot on the beach during the peak of nesting, we might just within eyesight see maybe 10 turtles," said David Godfrey, executive director of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, who led tours during nesting season. "And imagine, all these turtles are approaching 300 pounds each. Luckily they don't move very fast. We literally found ourselves at times pinned down by turtles. That's a phenomenon we have not seen before in Florida."
The current nest count of 14,152 shatters the previous record of 12,846, giving a great amount of hope to environmentalists, who not long ago were worried for the longevity of the species due to the pollution, habitat destruction and excessive lighting along developed beaches that were threatening their health, according to Orlando Weekly.
Almost 30 years ago, only 464 green sea turtle nests were found around the same areas, making the resurgence even more surprising, according to Phys.org.
"It's exciting to hear that our efforts to protect Florida's environment are helping the sea turtle population thrive," said Rick Scott, Florida's Governor.
