Five months out of each year, the Alabama Gulf Coast plays host to nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. Three species nest on our shores: green, Kemp’s ridley and loggerhead. All are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

When mama sea turtles are ready to seek a safe place for their eggs, they return to the area where they took their own first crawl to the Gulf of Mexico. The hatchlings hope to make it to the water without being eaten or thrown off course. For both treks, the beach must be free of debris and shielded from artificial light.

The rules of Leave Only Footprints are meant to keep the beach clear for turtles and humans alike. Beach visitors are required to remove all beach gear by one hour after sunset, including tents, canopies, umbrellas, chairs, coolers, toys and trash. Anything left on the beach is collected by the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and recycled.

Holes deeper than 12 inches must be filled. This rule of Leave Only Footprints creates a safer beach for nesting mamas to cross, as well as for hatchlings to find their way to the Gulf of Mexico, usually by starlight or moonlight.

Other ways to help sea turtles include turning off patio lights and shielding indoor lights from shining onto the beach at night, avoiding use of flashlights or flash photography on the beach at night, and leaving sea turtle tracks undisturbed.

In recent years, Alabama’s sea turtle program, Share the Beach, has made great strides in protecting sea turtles and their nests. This resulted in 8,000 hatchlings making their way from nests to the Gulf of Mexico in 2015.