Sea Turtles
During the summer, beachfront hotels and condos are required to shield or turn off lights that shine on the beach. A Florida state law was enacted in order to protect baby sea turtles emerging from their nests. The baby sea turtles are born with the natural instinct to head for bright light in order to find the water, but lights on the beach can prevent them from going in the right direction. Sea turtles can get tangled in the dune vegetation or fall prey to other animals if they get lost. In Collier County, many precautions are taken to ensure the sea turtles are able to find their natural home. The nests are closely watched, and taped off on the beaches as a precaution to prevent people from accidentally disturbing the nest.