Share the Beach

29 07, 2019

3 reasons you should resist feeding birds at the beach

By |2019-07-23T11:03:01+00:00July 29th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

When you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, you’re apt to encounter many feathered friends during your visit. To respect and help protect these species, one of the best things you can do is refrain from feeding birds along our coastline. Although sharing your snacks with the birds may seem harmless or even kind, the practice can be harmful to them, to other native species and even to humans. 1) Protecting the birds Every species has a different diet, and [...]

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17 05, 2019

Nesting sea turtles need a clean beach

By |2019-05-17T02:23:33+00:00May 17th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

May marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season on the Alabama Gulf Coast, and although we have seen an increasing number of sea turtles being born and returning to nest over recent years, we have also seen the unthinkable. You may remember the female sea turtle who was found in the surf with her neck attached to a beach chair. Or you may have heard the horrifying news of a group of tourists caught on camera looting sea turtle [...]

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17 04, 2019

Good to Know: Local Resources for Stranded Marine Animals

By |2019-04-17T15:54:03+00:00April 17th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

When taking a trip to the beach this year, it’s important to remember you are visiting the home of many wonderful animals. Enjoy their presence, but be respectful when encountering them. Regardless of which animal you encounter, we encourage you to remain a safe distance of about 50 yards. Remember that you are guests in their home, so keep the viewing at a minimum in order to reduce the stress on the animals. Please do not attempt to feed or [...]

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12 09, 2018

How to be a good neighbor to hatching sea turtles

By |2018-09-12T14:09:04+00:00September 12th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

Did you know our Alabama beaches are a prime nesting ground for sea turtles? Unfortunately, with development along our coastline comes some dangers for these nesting turtles and for the hatchlings as they make their way to the water. But volunteers are on duty to help keep them safe. How does that work? Share the Beach was formed in 2005, and now comes under the umbrella of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and The Alabama Coastal Foundation. The Share [...]

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15 08, 2018

Local conservation groups help preserve the beach

By |2018-08-15T16:36:58+00:00August 15th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

Leave Only Footprints has a mission to keep our beaches clean and healthy for visitors and wildlife, and we’re proud to work alongside other groups that share that mission. You may not know the names of these organizations, but if you enjoy the beauty of our coast, you benefit from their work. The Alabama Coastal Foundation, started in 1993, works to find the balance between protecting priceless coastal resources and the pressure of economic growth and construction. They research issues, [...]

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16 08, 2017

Four things to know about sea turtle nesting season

By |2017-08-16T14:13:08+00:00August 16th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

If you are a regular visitor to the Alabama Gulf Coast, you’ve no doubt heard the phrase “sea turtle nesting season.” So, just what is it, and what does it mean for beachgoers? Here’s what you need to know. Each year from July to October, thousands of sea turtles make their way to our beaches where they lay eggs. Last year, 22,240 eggs were laid. However, only 14,105 of those hatchlings made their way to the warm gulf waters to [...]

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24 05, 2017

Do you Share the Beach?

By |2017-12-20T04:33:14+00:00May 24th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

How much do you know about the Share the Beach program? While thousands of families converge on our beautiful beaches each year for their summer vacation, so do thousands of sea turtles. Starting in May, female sea turtles make their way hundreds of miles to our shores to lay eggs, which hatch between July and October. Once they hatch, the young sea turtles must make their way to the Gulf of Mexico. That’s when they need our help. Hatchlings are [...]

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26 10, 2016

Saying Goodbye to the Sea Turtles

By |2017-12-20T04:33:15+00:00October 26th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments

More sea turtle hatchlings have made it to the relative safety of the Gulf of Mexico from our beaches than in years past, according to Mike Reynolds, turtle czar for Share the Beach, the Alabama sea turtle conservation program. As of September, approximately 14,000 sea turtle hatchlings had emerged from nests along the Alabama Gulf Coast, but Reynolds reminds us the season is not over yet. “Higher numbers are being reported all along the northern Gulf Coast, from here to [...]

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9 09, 2016

How to Protect the Habitat of Sea Turtles

By |2016-09-09T16:02:03+00:00September 9th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments

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 [...]

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