I am so excited to tell you that we had yet another record breaking sea turtle nesting season this year! According to Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, 3,597 hatchlings made their way into the ocean this season! How amazing is that!
While the most commonly seen sea turtle species seen around St. John is the green turtle, the majority of the nests laid around St. John are hawksbill turtles. There were 44 nests laid this season. Of those, 37 were hawksbill and seven were green. The number of green sea turtle nests was another record!
Here are some quick facts:
- The first nest was found on June 30th. The final nest was excavated on February 19th.
- Nests were found on more than a dozen beaches, including Hawksnest, Francis Bay, Trunk Bay, Reef Bay, Chocolate Hole. Great Cruz Bay and Lovango, among others.
- Forty five new turtles were identified in the waters around St. John.
- Seven new turtles were identified at Maho Bay, the area where most visitors see sea turtles.
Again, all such great news!
Click here to read the 2025 report in its entirety.
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
See the island of St. John with a longtime resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.