Snapping a selfie with sea turtles on the beach may seem like a great idea but experts say your photo could kill the turtles' babies. 

Dax Martin and his son Gus were watching the sun rise on Daytona Beach shores when they came upon a large Sea Turtle.

"We saw some people out there taking some pictures of it. So we went up and went to it and you could tell it'd been up there laying some eggs," said Dax Martin.

That’s the last thing county sea turtle patrol officers want beach visitors to do.

"We're hearing reports of them using flashlights and getting next to the turtles," said Jennifer Winters from the Volusia County Habitat Conservation Program Manager.

Winters says doing that could endanger hatchlings. She says overwhelming a sea turtle could trigger a false crawl, when a sea turtle comes to the beach to try to lay its eggs, but then is met by a group of beach visitors making it nervous. That sea turtle then heads back out into the ocean, getting rid of its eggs out at sea.

The danger is not limited to the adult sea turtle.

Flagler and Volusia Counties are reporting as many as 1,500 nests, while Canaveral National Seashore in Brevard County is reporting 2,600 nests.

A sea turtle could potentially lay 50 eggs per nest.  That many nests could lead to a bumper crop of baby sea turtles, tempting visitors to take a closer look at a hatchling making its way to the ocean.

Depending on the species, sea turtles are either on the endangered or threatened species list.

Interacting with them can carry a penalty. Sea turtles, their eggs and their nests are protected under state and federal law. Under state law, destroying a sea turtle nest or eggs is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine and/or five years in prison.

"Well they can certainly be penalized and even arrested. There have been some cases where we've had people arrested because they've been harassing turtles along the beach," said Winters.

Winters says its best for visitors to watch sea turtles from a distance and let nature takes its course.

Sea Patrol officers say they have even responded to calls from teachers with students who took hatchlings to school for show-and-tell.

The good news is, sea turtle groups say they are seeing a higher than normal number of sea turtle nests this season.

Turtles Safety Tips

Follow these tips from the Volusia County Habitat Conservation Program to help nesting sea turtles, other animals, and people safely use the beach.

  • Remove tents, volleyball nets and other beach furniture and fill large holes before you leave the beach.
  • Don't disturb a turtle that is crawling to or from the ocean or laying eggs. Watch from a distance of at least 30 feet away, keep lights and flash photography off and speak quietly.
  • Never shine lights on sea turtle nests, hatchlings, or adult turtles.  Flashlight and lantern use is discouraged; however, a flashlight with a red LED bulb or a light covered with a red filter is less disruptive to sea turtles.
  • Avoid flash photography on the beach at night, and never discharge fireworks, which are prohibited on the beach.
  • Ensure lights from your property or rental space are not visible from the beach by turning them off or shutting your curtains at night.  Lights can discourage nesting adults and disorient hatchlings ability to find the sea.
  • Avoid walking or cycling over marked nests or unmarked turtle tracks.
  • Do not disturb markers or protective screening over turtle nests. These nests are being studied and protected.
  • Avoid walking on vegetated beach dunes by using designated beach access points.
  • Don't disturb nesting and resting shore birds.
  • Don't litter. Cigarette butts, fishing line and other trash can harm the animals and birds along the beach and is unsightly for beach visitors.
  • Please recycle paper and plastics in the yellow recycling bins.
  • If you see a sick, injured, or dead sea turtle or other animal that needs help, DO NOT attempt to put it in the water or capture it.  Please contact the nearest Beach Safety officer or lifeguard or call 1-888-404-FWCC.