At least 5 sea turtle nests destroyed by Alberto in Florida

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Subtropical Storm Alberto dealt a blow to sea turtle nests in southwest Florida.

Five of Collier County’s 218 sea turtle nests washed away during the weekend storm.

Another 26 nests were inundated, which means the eggs were covered with water; it remains to be seen how those nests will fare.

The Naples Daily News reports that Lee County is also trying to determine sea turtle nest losses. Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1 to Oct. 1, which is also peak storm season in Florida.

In 2017, half of the turtle nests laid on southwest Florida beaches washed out due to hurricanes.

The most common nesting sea turtle in southwest Florida, the loggerhead, is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

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Information from: Naples (Fla.) Daily News, http://www.naplesnews.com