All five species of sea turtles are listed as either threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Hatchling survival is precarious for many reasons, including decreased environment, pollution, artificial lighting and natural predation. Like other turtles, sea turtles must come ashore to lay eggs.
Females usually return to the same beaches year after year.
Coming ashore at night during high tide, the female digs out a nest with her flippers and deposits 50 to 200 eggs. The incubation period for most species of sea turtle is 45 to 70 days. Up to 40 percent of the nests in Florida are lost to predators such as raccoons, skunks, lizards and man. After hatching, the young turtles may take three to seven days to dig their way to the surface. When they emerge, usually at night, the frenzied race to the surf begins.