Four adult leatherback sea turtles were killed in a string of boat strikes in Palm Beach County's Intracoastal Waterway, according to conservation officials. One of them, a long-tracked nesting female known to researchers as Deema, was hit with such force that her acoustic tracking tag snapped in half.
State wildlife officials and local researchers flagged the cluster of early-season deaths for reporters, as reported by WPBF. The station notes that all four strikes happened inside the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County, and that leaders at Loggerhead Marinelife Center are calling the loss of four adult leatherbacks a major blow to an already fragile population.
Why Each Female Matters
“The loss of one of those individuals is a really great loss to the species as a whole,” Dr. Heather Barron told WPBF, pointing out that a single female can lay well over 100 eggs in a single breeding season. Leatherbacks are listed as endangered under U.S. law and are considered critically endangered in global assessments, according to NOAA Fisheries. Scientists warn that removing breeding adults speeds up long-term declines because leatherbacks reproduce slowly and tend to return to the same beaches to nest.
Local Context: Nesting Season And Recent Counts
Palm Beach County’s nesting season runs roughly March through October, and the county’s environmental office says tens of thousands of sea turtles come ashore locally each year, according to Palm Beach County ERM. In 2025, researchers documented more than 20,000 sea turtle nests across species in the region, per the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. With that kind of nesting density, losing multiple adults right at the start of the season can ripple through future hatchling numbers.
How Boaters Can Reduce Risk
Conservation groups say vessel strikes on sea turtles in Florida have risen sharply, with incidents roughly tripling since 1980, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy. That trend is one big reason outreach to boaters has ramped up.
Experts urge boaters to slow down, especially within about 1 to 1.5 miles of shore, assign a spotter to scan the water ahead, and wear polarized sunglasses to cut surface glare and make turtles easier to see. Those tips are echoed by academic researchers and public outreach programs such as a recent Q&A published by FSU. Advocates say these small, voluntary moves, paired with broader public education, are the quickest tools available to cut down on boat-related turtle deaths during the busy months.
The voluntary Sea Turtle Protection Zone, which remains in effect through October 31, spans all 45 miles of Palm Beach County shoreline and extends one mile offshore, according to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. If you spot an injured or stranded sea turtle, officials urge you to call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC or Loggerhead’s 24/7 sea-turtle line at (561) 603-0211, per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Local researchers say that during nesting season, a few cautious choices at the helm can mean the difference between a rescued turtle and another fatal hit.
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