Why Baby Turtles Thrive on Florida’s Hurricane-Lashed Beaches

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—A band of researchers barely notice as the sun peeps over the Atlantic Ocean, sending orange streaks shooting across jagged gray clouds. It’s treasure they’re seeking. So as they set out across wave-smoothed sand, they’re focused only on spotting clues that will lead them to their prize. Every morning from April 15 until Oct. 31, so-called turtle patrols embark on a similar quest across Florida coastlines. In cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), they document, monitor, study, and try to protect the nests of five species of sea turtles that venture onto the state’s beaches....