A sea turtle hatchling in the Florida Keys somehow missed the usual dash from nest to ocean and ended up at the bottom of a staircase on Big Pine Key instead. Thankfully, a good Samaritan found the hatchling and took it to a local turtle rescue.
Here's what to know
The rescuer spotted the baby sea turtle at the base of a set of stairs far from the water.
While it is unknown exactly how the hatchling got to that unusual location, a post on Turtle Hospital's YouTube channel suggested that "it's possible a bird picked him up and dropped him."
The rescuer then placed the hatchling in a container and delivered it to the Turtle Hospital. Although the hatchling wasn't moving at first, the rescuer later noticed "a little movement," showing the baby was still alive, according to Turtle Hospital.
Hatchlings already face steep odds even under ideal conditions. In their first moments of life, they are especially vulnerable to dehydration, predators, exhaustion, and other dangers on land. Once they hatch, often on a sandy beach, hatchlings typically head for the relative safety of the ocean.
Thankfully, the rescuer got this hatchling the expert help it needed in time for the Turtle Hospital to act.
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The Turtle Hospital used the situation to raise awareness about turtle hatchlings.
"Hatchling season is here, so keep your eyes peeled!" the YouTube post said. "Baby sea turtles can turn up in some pretty unexpected places!"
More background
As human development increasingly encroaches on natural shorelines, the chances for humans and hatchlings coming into contact have increased. As a result, hatchlings have been spotted in unexpected places, such as on roads and walkways or even at the bottom of a set of stairs.
On land, hatchlings can face immediate danger from heat, traffic, pets, and predators.
Thankfully, the rescuer did the right thing when they found the hatchling, taking it to the Turtle Hospital, where experts treated it and then reintroduced it into the wild.
As the Turtle Hospital put it in the YouTube post, the hatchling is a "tiny turtle with a big adventure ahead of him!"
Where can I learn more?
These stories take a closer look at the challenges sea turtles face, from nesting beaches to rehabilitation centers. They cover Florida nesting trends, beach obstacles, hatchling rescue cases, and research on turtle nests.
• In Volusia County, beach clutter can block nests and hinder hatchlings heading to the surf.
• Along Florida's coast, researchers found a record number of nests.
• At a turtle hospital, X-rays revealed plastic pollution inside a hatchling rushed in for care.
• In Louisiana, scientists uncovered a rare turtle nesting site with major conservation potential.
• Inside sea turtle nests, researchers found microplastics mixed into the sand around developing hatchlings.
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