Beach Environment/Sea Turtles

Bonita Beach is alive and vibrant with a diverse array of dune plants, seashells, and birds that dive, run, wade, and soar. Please help us protect the health of our beach by keeping it clean. It is up to each of us to be responsible for our personal effects, food and drink items, and any trash. Lets all pitch in to help keep our beaches safe, pristine, and clean!!

It's a New Day in Public Health.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts. This website displays information about the results from routine bacteria monitoring.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manages and maintains fish and wildlife resources for their long term health and well-being for the benefit of the environment and all people.

While we know that many are still recovering from Hurricane Ian, our sea turtles are expected to make their annual return to local beaches to nest soon.  Each summer, May to October, something remarkable happens along our Florida coastline. Loggerhead sea turtles travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to return to the same beaches where they hatched. During the night, these majestic creatures crawl ashore making their way to the dunes to lay their eggs.

Despite the devastation to our beaches caused by Hurricane Ian, Bonita's beaches still received 151 sea turtle nests and 83% of the nests hatched. While rebuilding is underway, this nesting season continues to provide challenges for our nesting sea turtles due to removed sand, vegetation, and structural damage and loss. The dedicated volunteers of Turtle Time, Inc. will continue to monitor the coastline from the northern tip of Fort Myers Beach to the Lee-Collier border of Bonita Beach, as well as the Bokeelia area. 

Click below to see  the number of nests cataloged, marked, and hatched for the 2024 season listed by area.

Turtle Time, Inc. asks for your help to ensure the continued survival of our threatened and endangered marine turtles.  Turtle Time , Inc. believes it is possible for humans to share the beaches and oceans with sea turtles, but their fate depends on all of us. Residents and visitors alike must share the responsibility for making our beaches turtle healthy and friendly!