June 22, 2020 — Scientists tracked a point on a map from their computers at home this spring, witnessing it travel up the southeast coast of Florida. The point represented a male sea turtle, and the tracks provided a glimpse into its mysterious life. Males don’t return to beaches like females do, so researchers know relatively little about them.
But with fewer male hatchlings emerging from nests over the past few decades, researchers are now studying male sea turtles with more urgency. Hotter beaches have led to female-dominated hatchlings, since temperature influences whether a sea turtle will be born male or female.
No one knows exactly how a dwindling supply of males will affect these threatened and endangered species living off the Florida coast. Researchers are performing paternity tests on hatchlings and sticking tracking devices on turtles to figure out how many males are mating and how to better protect them. Summer is the heart of nesting season and baby turtles incubating in Florida sand right now may help scientists determine how an imbalance of males and females will impact future populations.