CHARLESTON, S.C. — The first sea turtle nest of 2022 in South Carolina has been laid, officials with the state's wildlife agency confirmed Monday.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says a team spotted the nest while scouting on Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in Charleston County. They say they found the telltale tracks of the crawl made by a female turtle who was looking for a suitable place to lay her eggs. The discovery was made in the sand on Lighthouse Island.
Officials say the tracks come from a loggerhead sea turtle, one of four sea turtle species nest in South Carolina: greens, Kemp's ridleys, and leatherbacks are the others. All of those species are considered endangered or threatened and have federal protection.
Abigail King, Billy Shaw, and Gina McQuiken--the ones who found the nest--also spotted the first nest in 2020. The official start of sea turtle nesting season was a day earlier.
Cape Romain is about 45 miles from the city of Charleston and is one of the densest sea turtle nesting locations north of Florida. SCDNR says their employees and volunteers patrol beaches from May to October to count, monitor, and protect sea turtle nests.
"We're excited and optimistic for a great nesting season for sea turtles along our coast," said SCDNR biologist Michelle Pate, who leads the state's sea turtle nesting program.
While the number of nests fluctuates year to year, it was fairly consistent the last two years. There were 5,644 nests in 2021 compared to 5,560 in 2020.
A sea turtle clutch averages 120 eggs and hatch after roughly 60 days. . Nesting females may remain in South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season.
The following tips and reminders come from SCDNR:
Sea Turtle Nesting Season Reminders
- Report all sick/injured/dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to the SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431 so that staff/volunteers can respond as soon as possible.
- Respect boating laws and boat cautiously, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes have emerged as the leading cause of death for sea turtles in South Carolina.
- Keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season – this includes beachfront property lights and flash photography, which can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings.
- Always respect sea turtles by observing them from a distance on the beach. Individuals that violate federal law by harming or interfering with sea turtles or their nests can be subject to civil penalties of up to $25,000 and up to a year’s imprisonment.
- Keep beaches and ocean clean by avoiding single-use plastics. 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.