With heavy traffic heading to the beaches, wildlife officials want you to be on the lookout for something in the sand– sea turtle nests. Tuesday marked the beginning of sea turtle nesting season.
The State Department of Natural Resources has already encouraged boaters via Facebook to keep an eye out for the endangered leatherback, who have recently been spotted off the S.C. coast. (These turtles, which weigh between 660-1,100 lbs., are considered to be in threat of extinction). So, it is very important that the turtles + their nests are well taken care of.
So far, there have not been any reports of turtles laying nests on our Lowcountry beaches– likely due to the cold weather.
But, what do you do if you do see a sea turtle nest?
- If you see a mother laying eggs or any hatchlings, keep your distance.
- Do not touch or approach the turtles– it is against the law to disturb them!
- Do not try to help hatchlings get to the ocean– miraculously, they know what they’re doing.
- Do not use flash photography or the light from your cell phone to take pics– artificial light can disorient the turtles.
- Year round, limit your use of plastic (bags, containers, straws, etc.) to reduce the amount of waste found in the ocean + on beaches– which can become life-threatening
Sea turtles are considered to be endangered species and are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 + the Marine Turtle Protection Act.
If you want to become more involved in protecting Lowcountry sea turtles, you can join the Folly Beach Sea Turtle Watch Program or become a Sea Turtle Guardian with the South Carolina Aquarium. 🐢
