After carefully choosing the right spot on the beach, the turtle uses her back flippers to dig a hole in which nearly 100 eggs are laid. After the eggs are laid, she covers the nest with sand and then slowly crawls back to the sea where she can once again swim gracefully. She is unaware of the dangers that lie ahead for her newly laid eggs. Many animals are predators to eggs, which are the size of a ping-pong ball.
Raccoons are a major problem, as well as hungry snakes.
Even the tiniest of fire ants are a threat. In about 60 days the eggs hatch during the night, with the many baby sea turtles pushing their way out through the sand. The hatchlings then get to the sea as quickly as possible by following the light of the moon over the water. But the journey to the sea is full of dangers as more predators, such as sea gulls and crabs, patrol the beach for a meal. Lights of buildings lining the beach can cause confusion for some of the hatchlings.