The Davis Bayou Area is the only portion of the National Seashore in Mississippi that is accessible by automobile. The Mississippi District of the seashore features natural beaches, historic sites, wildlife sanctuaries, islands accessible only by boat, bayous, nature trails, picnic areas, and campgrounds. All Florida areas are accessible by automobile. Mainland features near Pensacola, Florida, include the Naval Live Oaks Reservation, beaches, and military forts. The Florida District of the seashore features offshore barrier islands with sparkling white quartz sand beaches (along miles of undeveloped land), historic fortifications, and nature trails. Hawksbill turtles are not known to nest in the national seashore, but it is plausible that hawksbills are present in the national seashore’s waters.The color of the sand in the region is exceptionally white, as seen in this 1957 photo at Pensacola Beach, Florida, adjacent to the protected area designated in 1971. Hawksbill turtles are distributed across tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The hawksbill receives its name from the raptor-like jaws that allow it to prey on sponges. Hawksbills feed prey primarily on sponges. ![]() The carapace is oval-shaped and dark to golden brown, with streaks of orange, red, and/or black with a serrated back and overlapping shell scutes, or thorny scales. The hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) grows on average to a length of two to three feet and a weight of up to 150 pounds. Nests are rare in the national seashore, but leatherback turtles are present in the coastal waters. Leatherback turtles are distributed across tropical and temperate waters worldwide and into the sub-arctic. Leatherbacks have pointed tooth-like cusps and sharp-edged jaws that enable them to prey on jellyfish and salps. The lifespan of the leatherback is unknown. Their plastron is pinkish-white in color. The only species without a hard shell, their soft carapace is primarily black and consists of leathery, oil-saturated connective tissue overlaying loosely interlocking dermal bones, which is how the leatherback receives its name. They grow on average to a length of nine to twelve feet and a weight of up to 2,000 pounds. The leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest of the seven species of sea turtles. Nests are uncommon in the national seashore, but Kemp’s ridleys are present in the coastal waters. Kemp’s ridleys are distributed across the Gulf of Mexico and warm temperate waters of the western North Atlantic, along the coast between Florida and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Kemp, a Florida fisherman and naturalist who first documented the species in 1880. ![]() Kemp’s ridley turtles prey primarily on crabs, fish, jellyfish, and mollusks. The lifespan of the Kemp’s ridley is unknown. Their carapace is nearly circular and grayish-green in color, while the plastron is a pale yellowish color. They grow on average to a length of two feet and a weight of up to 100 pounds. The Kemp’s ridley turtle ( Lepidochelys kempii) is the rarest sea turtle in the world. Nests are uncommon in the national seashore, but green turtles are present in the coastal waters. Green turtles are distributed in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide. ![]() A green turtle’s fatty tissues have a greenish hue because of their diet, which is how they take their name. Adults are primarily herbivores, feeding on seagrasses and algae. A green turtle’s diet is unique compared to the other six species of turtles. The lifespan of the green turtle is unknown, but sexual maturity occurs between 20 to 50 years of age. The carapace is oval-shaped and smooth with shades of black, gray, green, brown, and yellow. The green turtle ( Chelonia mydas) is the largest of the hard-shell sea turtles, growing on average to a length of three feet and a weight of up to 500 pounds. Nests are common in the national seashore. Loggerheads are generally distributed across warm temperate waters and into the tropics. Their name derives from their large heads, which support powerful jaws and enables them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks, conch, clams, and crabs. A loggerhead’s lifespan is unknown, but they reach sexual maturity at about 35 years of age. The carapace or top shell is slightly heart-shaped and ruddy brown in color, while the plastron or bottom shell is a pale yellow color. They grow on average to a length of three feet and a weight of up to 350 pounds. The loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta) is the most common sea turtle in Florida’s waters, and the most common in Gulf Islands National Seashore. From left to right images of a Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, and Leatherback Sea Turtle.
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