2019 broke the record for the highest number of green sea turtle nests spotted on the Suncoast.

Officials at Mote Marine Laboratory say the nests are far less common than the loggerheads that have long populated the area.

This summer, Mote officials tallied more than 4,000 loggerhead nests and 135 green sea turtle nests- still a record for the area.

Mote scientists are now tagging the green sea turtles to see where they both in between nesting season as well as after nesting season is over.