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Officials: 8 Sea Turtle Nests Run Over On Beach

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Wikimedia Commons
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The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Wildlife officials want to know who ran over eight sea turtle nests on a South Siesta Key beach.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that Mote Marine Laboratory told the Florida and Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission about the South Siesta Key nests on Friday.

Mote officials say the damage and tracks seem to have come from a golf cart or all-terrain vehicle. It wasn't immediately clear how many eggs were hurt.

Sea turtles are protected under federal and state laws, as well as local ordinances. Harming the creatures, their nests or eggs is illegal and can lead to heavy fines or even jail time.