Sea turtle nesting season is off to a promising start in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, with four nests and two false crawls reported so far, according to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Turtle Patrol.

Of the four nests, three belong to Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, while one belongs to a loggerhead. Both false crawls were attributed to loggerhead sea turtles.

• “What a great start to the season!” the Turtle Patrol said in a statement. “We are hoping to see a lot more of this in the next couple of months!”

The team reminds residents and visitors to keep beaches clean, dark, and flat to ensure a safe environment for nesting sea turtles. Turtle-friendly red flashlights are available for purchase at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Welcome Center on Okaloosa Island.

All sea turtle nesting activities conducted by the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Turtle Patrol are permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Marine Turtle Program under MTP #24-251.

Have kids who want to learn more about sea turtles?

The Fort Walton Beach Library will host “Sea Turtles with Jessica Valek” on June 6th at 2 PM. The event is open to children aged 7-12 who wish to learn about sea turtle adventures from Jessica Valek.

• The library is located at 185 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548. Registration is required, and those interested can sign up and find more information at the library’s website.

If you encounter a nesting sea turtle on the beach, please call the Sea Turtle Hotline at 850-461-2885 or the FWC at 888-404-3922.