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Sargassum Piles Dramatically Slow Florida Sea Turtle Hatchlings, FAU Study Finds

Controlled experiments point to a worsening obstacle for newborn turtles requiring updated beach practices.

A leatherback sea turtle hatchling climbs over sargassum on a beach. In a new study, researchers timed sea turtles to see how long it took them to reach the ocean when they had to traverse piles of seaweed.

Overview

  • Florida Atlantic University researchers report significant delays for leatherback, loggerhead, and green hatchlings crawling through seaweed, with median slowdowns ranging from 54% to 175% depending on species and coverage.
  • Even at 7–9 centimeters of sargassum, some hatchlings failed to complete the climb, indicating that relatively modest beach accumulations can halt the journey to the ocean.
  • Hatchlings frequently flipped while crossing the seaweed, with one recorded inversion count exceeding 20, increasing time on hot sand and exposure to predators.
  • Despite the added effort, blood glucose levels did not differ significantly between turtles that traversed sargassum and those that did not, suggesting no immediate depletion of measurable energy stores.
  • The trials used 15-meter crawlways with seaweed up to 19 centimeters high at Juno Beach, Jupiter, and Boca Raton, and the findings arrive as media report record regional sargassum biomass in June 2025, prompting calls for more responsive beach management.