Sea turtles are nesting on Hilton Head again. Here’s how you can help them
Sea turtles are nesting along Hilton Head Island’s beaches, and they’ll continue to all summer.
That’s why you may have seen fenced-off plots on the beach. These sea turtles are Loggerheads, a species classified as threatened under federal law. Hilton Head Island’s Sea Turtle Patrol has located 100 nests on the island so far.
They come here for a reason, and you can help them to keep coming.
Why Hilton Head?
Loggerheads memorize the location of their birth using the Earth’s magnetic signature shortly after hatching. When females reach maturity at around 30 years old, they return to that location to breed and nest. Loggerheads born in Georgia, North Carolina or South Carolina consider the beaches of the three states their birthplace.
Loggerhead eggs hatch after about 60 days. The hatchlings then make their way to the water and eventually the Atlantic Gulf Stream. Only one in 100 hatchlings survive the journey. Loggerheads spend the majority of their lives thousands of miles away from where they were born.
How can you help?
Loggerhead nests hatch from July to October. When Loggerheads hatch, they use the horizon during the day and the reflection of the moon at night to locate the ocean. Artificial light can confuse nighttime hatchlings and lead to their death.
The Sea Turtle Patrol recommends beachfront residents and visitors turn off exterior lights at 10 p.m. and use red-tinted flashlights for nighttime beach activities. If near a nest, avoid pointing flashlights at or near the nest. Hilton Head Island has ordinances designed to protect hatchlings from artificial light as well.
If you see a mature Loggerhead or hatchlings on the beach, keep your distance. When leaving the beach, the Sea Turtle Patrol recommends all dug holes be filled in, and beach equipment and trash removed. Stay out of the Island’s sand dunes, since sea turtles often nest in them.
The Sea Turtle Patrol locates and protects Loggerhead nests on Hilton Head’s beaches. You can sign up for their newsletter here.
Beach-goers can report injured or unwell Loggerheads to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-922-5431.