Sea turtle nesting season begins in SC; first nest spotted on Seabrook Island - Charleston Post Courier

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SEABROOK ISLAND — A few days into sea turtle nesting season and volunteers on Seabrook Island have spotted the state's first loggerhead nest. 

The season began May 1 and runs through the end of October.

Beachgoers can help sea turtles in the Palmetto State this season by keeping the beaches clean, giving the animals space and turning off beachfront lights to avoid disorientation. 

Sea turtle volunteers Sandy MacCoss and Lucy Hoover found the state's first nest of the season May 5 on Seabrook, about 20 miles south of Charleston. The nest was between two boardwalks and had 117 eggs. 

"We're thrilled to be the first in the state, and we're very excited about the upcoming season," said Jane Magioncalda, a co-leader of the turtle patrol.

More than 100 volunteers are on the patrol. They walk the beach each morning to see whether a mother turtle came up overnight to lay a nest. If there is evidence of a crawl, a team will probe the area to try and locate the nest.

Magioncalda said that volunteers will sometimes have to relocate the nest if it is below the high tide line and move it up to protect it. 

"Then we mark it so that people don't walk over it," Magioncalda said. "And we also check those nests every single day during the season until they finally hatch, which is about 60 days after it's been laid."

Turtle patrol groups, like the ones on Seabrook and Kiawah islands, are instrumental in helping the state keep records of nests each season. 

South Carolina wrapped up the 2020 sea turtle nesting season with about two-thirds more nests than the 10-year average.

Charlotte Hope, a biologist with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, said the average nests for the past 10 years was 3,324. DNR counted 5,560 nests in 2020. 

There are four sea turtle species that nest on beaches in the Palmetto State: loggerhead, green, Kemp's ridley and leatherback. All four are classified as endangered or threatened and are protected by the Endangered Species Act, plus local and state ordinances.

To further protect these animals, beachgoers are asked to observe them from a distance. People who harm or interfere with the turtles or their nests are subject to civil penalties of up to $25,000 and up to a year in prison, DNR said.

Single-use plastics, such as plastic bags and balloons, are common trash found on the beach and can cause harm or death if sea turtles mistake them for food. DNR recommends people avoid use of these items on the beach.

Many coastal cities and towns in the state have already banned packaging products considered environmentally harmful, like plastic bags.

Folks are also encouraged to boat cautiously, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. And keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season. This prevents nesting mothers and hatchlings from becoming disoriented.

Sea turtles depend on the brightest light at night to lead them to the water. That light is often the moon. But other lights, such as those coming from within and outside homes, can cause confusion. 

Sick, injured or dead sea turtles and nest disturbances should be reported to DNR at 800-922-5431.

The Link Lonk


May 08, 2021 at 09:00PM
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Sea turtle nesting season begins in SC; first nest spotted on Seabrook Island - Charleston Post Courier

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