Briarcliffe Nest #1 was found on June 1st. High above the HTL, up on a dune, egg chamber opened to verify eggs, 1 egg takent for DNA and then quickly closed. Nest was left natural or in situ.
52 days later, nest check early in the morning reveals a depression or hole and hatchling tracks going into the ocean. A big ghost crab hole is found just behind the egg chamber.
After three nights, on the evening of the 4th day after emergence, the egg chamber is dug up.
Egg chamber has tall grass growing out of it.
Larry digs into the egg chamber
Hatched egg shell is quickly found
More egg shells are removed, one whole unhatched egg is found
Then a dead hatchling is removed. Looks like ghost crabs may have gotten this guy
Whole egg is removed, completely surrounded by roots from the vegetation
A pipped egg is found, turtle opened the egg but died before getting out
Yolk sac is large and intact
A family from Ohio comes up to see what is going on.....very interested
And then Cheri brings out a live hatchling from the bottom of the egg chamber
Real lively, this guy wants to start his journey
Inventory is winding down, 3 dead hatchlings are found
1 pipped egg is found
1 whole egg is opened and a full term dead hatchling is found
Empty egg shells are lining up
Inventory is over, time to release the live hatchling
Leila helps release the hatchling
Anxious to find the ocean
Jessica, Ari, Cay and Leila
They don't see these turtles in Ohio
Inventory results:
Date Laid.....June 1st
Date hatchlings emerged July 23, 52 days of incubation
In Situ Nest
101 hatched eggs
9 unhatched of which 7 dies in early development, 1 died in late development, 1 egg pipped.
3 dead hatchlings in egg chamber
1 live hatchling, released on beach and watched as it entered the water.
1 egg taken on June 1st for DNA
Total nest count 111 eggs
91.8% hatching success rate
Thank you Larry, Cindy, Cheri and Dawn.....great work!!!1
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