A live stream cam has caught something that not many people have been able to witness; the birth of some loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings on a Florida Keys beach. About one hundred of the turtles were born.
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The baby turtles – which measure at approximately three inches long – emerged from a mound on the Florida Keys beach and then proceeded to head towards the ocean, all while caught on camera. After they had entered the ocean, they disappeared from the camera’s view.
The camera – which films in high definition – was set up on the beach in order to capture some footage of the new hatchlings. The camera also films by utilizing infrared lenses so that any lights that would be needed otherwise would not affect the new hatchlings. Any artificial light that would be needed otherwise would have adversely affected the hatchlings, and would possibly have interrupted the process of them emerging from the mound and entering the sea.
The camera feed also helps in raising awareness for the efforts currently underway in Florida Keys to help raise awareness about the need to protect sea turtles. Loggerheads – the type of turtles that emerged from the mound on the beach – are among five different types of sea turtle that are currently considered either endangered or threatened, and that nest on Keys beaches and other Florida shorelines.
The webcam is currently funded by the Florida Keys tourism council, and was approved by both the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.