It’s world sea turtle day! How many nests does Hilton Head have?
June 16 is World Sea Turtle Day!
Hilton Head Island is celebrating the holiday by announcing a new nest dedication program and a brand new sea turtle sculpture to be installed in July.
Sea turtle nesting season began May 1 on Hilton Head, and the island currently has 126 Loggerhead sea turtle nests. They will begin to hatch in the next several weeks, tiny hatchlings that will traverse the sand toward the ocean to begin their lives at sea.
To mark the holiday, the island’s Sea Turtle Patrol started a nest dedication program.
The program allows people to dedicate a nest on the island to a loved one and learn when the nest’s eggs hatch. Dedications are accompanied by a donation to Sea Turtle Patrol, which records and relocates nests each morning on the island’s beaches.
In addition to the dedication program, Sea Turtle Patrol announced this week a new “Myrtle the Loggerhead Sea Turtle” statue, which will be dedicated July 1.
The sculpture, painted by Hilton Head artist Mira Scott, is themed “lights out” to encourage people to keep the beach dark so hatchlings can use the light of the moon to find the ocean.
Last year’s “Myrtle” sculpture, which was installed at the Tiki Hut near Coligny Beach, will be moved to the Sandbox Children’s Museum at the new Lowcountry Celebration Park once it opens.
Sea turtle nests and rules on Hilton Head
This year’s nest count so far has been steady, but markedly lower than last year’s record-breaking numbers.
With 126 nests so far, the island has less than half the 250 nests that were laid by June 17, 2019.
Sea turtle nesting typically surges in two-year cycles, so the lower nest count isn’t indicative of a major issue or permanent decline in nests.
But 2020 is the first time that some beach rules are in place to help protect turtle habitats.
Town rules drafted by the Turtle Patrol and Turtle Trackers shield lighting, prohibit beach tents left overnight and ban big holes in the sand that can trap tiny turtles. For a refresher on those rules, visit the town webpage on sea turtles.
Sea turtle season reminders
Here’s how to be courteous to sea turtles, according to SCDNR:
- 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.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 11:15 AM.
