Still at 12

posted: July 7, 2014, 5:12 PM

We still only have 12 nests on Holden Beach. According to the state biologist at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission this nesting season has been much slower than last year. To date, we are just under 300 nests for the year statewide. If the seasonal trend is similar to other years, we should expect about 650-750 nests total this year. He is not surprised that this year is slow, particularly because we have had four years in a row of increasing numbers of nests prior to this year, and most sea turtle populations show an up-and-down trend in total nests across years. Keep in mind that 750 nests per year is average number of nests based on the past ~15 years, so we are roughly on pace with an average year!

One more thing.... Please remember to pick up your chairs and put them away each evening. Don't leave them on the beach. We've attached a photo taken in Longboat Key, Florida where a mother sea turtle came ashore to lay her eggs and got trapped in the beach chair. Luckily members of the Mote Sea Turtle Patrol were able to rescue her. Beach furniture can be an obstacle to nesting sea turtles and may cause them to false crawl — emerge and depart without leaving a nest. Furniture can also pose a hazard: Turtles can become entangled and carry furniture back into the water.



Go To News Index Page

about | turtle talk | news | shop | links | photos | outreach | contact