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Hurricane Irma destroys turtle nests

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The University of Centra Florida reports that around a quarter of loggerhead (Caretta caretta)and half of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests in Florida’s Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge have been either swept away or exposed by hurricane Irma. Green turtles had set a new record in 2017, laying 15,744 nests. However, an estimated 8,830 of those were lost to the storm. Of some 9,690 loggerhead nests, 2,290 were lost.

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