Leatherback sea turtles are coming ashore in Florida's Brevard County for their annual nesting season.
Until April 30, recommended guidelines will be in place to help ensure the official sea turtle nesting season goes on unhindered, Florida Today reported Saturday.
Residents and visitors are being asked to stay away from nesting areas to ensure the leatherback turtles can come ashore and lay their eggs without interference.
Recommendations also include limited beach walking at night, minimizing beachside lights and not using flashlights or flash photography around the nesting animals.
Meanwhile, the local lighting ordinances that the county has in place to protect the sea turtles will not go into effect until May 1 when the main sea turtle nesting season begins.
Leatherback turtles are considered an endangered species and are one of three sea turtle species that nest in Brevard County each year, Florida Today said.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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