SWFL conservancy opens new sea turtle facility

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KEEWAYDIN ISLAND, Fla. A new $300,000 dollar research facility will help preserve the lives of sea turtles in Southwest Florida.

The new turtle house located on Keewaydin Island will give researchers from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, which is funding the project, a place to store equipment that can protect sea turtle eggs from predators.

“If we weren’t doing it you would lose 85-90 percent of the eggs to the raccoons,” Conservancy Senior Biologist Dave Addison said.

The facility will give turtles a safe environment to nest and get to the water in peace. Florida is one of the two places in the world where turtles nest in great numbers.

“It’s really, really a step in the right direction,” Addison said.

The turtle house, which is being dedicated to Addison in honor of his more than 40 years of turtle research, also allows biologists to keep dry as they conduct their work during rainy season.

The facility opened earlier this week.

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