Hunting Island’s favorite visitors are back! Park reports first sea turtle nest of 2020
Nesting season has arrived!
Hunting Island State Park’s first Loggerhead sea turtle nest of 2020 was found Monday by the Friends of Hunting Island Turtle Conservation Team.
Due to coronavirus and social distancing precautions, only the group’s day leaders are conducting beach searches for new nests. Later in the season, the organization will offer opportunities for volunteer training and volunteer searches.
The Hunting Island nest was discovered just a day after Hilton Head Island logged its first Loggerhead sea turtle nest of the season.
Last year’s nesting season set records in Beaufort County, and on Hunting Island, which had 153 nests. South Carolina’s beaches saw a record 8,800 nests in 2019, up from 2,700 the year prior.
Sea turtle season runs from May 1 through Oct. 31 on Hunting Island.
Mother sea turtles come ashore at nighttime, lay their eggs in nests and return to the ocean. After incubating for between 45 and 60 days, eggs begin to hatch and the tiny sea turtles make their way to sea.
SEA TURTLE SEASON REMINDERS
Here’s how to be courteous to sea turtles, according to S.C. Department of Natural Resources:
- Report all sick, injured or dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to the SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431 so staff and volunteers can respond as soon as possible.
- Respect boating laws, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes are the leading cause of death for sea turtles in South Carolina.
- Keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season. They can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings.
- Always respect sea turtles on the beach by observing them from a distance.
- Keep beaches and the ocean clean. Plastic bags and balloons are among the most common trash items found on South Carolina beaches and can cause injury or death when sea turtles mistake them for food.
- Remove large tents and fill in holes before you leave the beach.
