Very Fortunate ending to what could have been a very devastating outcome. A call coming into the hotline in the early evening hours. Still light enough that everyone could see this beautiful, endangered Sea Turtle come out of the water. What should have been a Nesting event for this Turtle, turned into her starting to dig her egg chamber but abandoning it. While Many were devasted and tried to get people to leave her alone as they were being respectful of this endangered Loggerhead Sea Turtle. A few thinking it was a frenzy to take selfies. One person placed a football by her head, while another laid in front of her to get that selfie. This is not only illegal, but heavy fines up to jail time, as all Sea Turtles are protected under the endangered Sea Turtles Act.
Sadly, if you look carefully, you can see where this endangered Sea Turtle had started to dig an egg chamber and left, before nesting, after being harassed by a select few.
So now onto the Great News. it is believed that this same Sea Turtle came up later in the evening. The NMB STP Hotline was once again called. The NMB STP Permitted Volunteers made sure all is kept dark, no one near, all quiet. This Sea Turtle was able to finish her nesting.
But again, while it is extremely fortunate that she came back up and nested instead of having to depositing the eggs in the ocean, she was extremely tired, and exhausted, having a hard time re-entering the Ocean.
Imagine being 250 to 350 pounds. She has to leave her sanctuary of the ocean to do her part in keeping the endangered Sea Turtle species alive. Now she crawls out on the hard sand dragging her heavy body with just her flippers. She then digs' a hole about 18 to 24 inches deep, sometimes deeper with just her back two flippers. She then continues to lay her eggs, burry them back up and throws sand with her flippers to make the nest harder to find. A long process for her, she will do this up to several times during a nesting year. So, let's not make it harder for her, please respect her space and privacy, as she is already out of her natural environment and safety net.
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All Sea Turtles are endangered, they are federally, and state protected. Special guidelines, training and permits are required to work with Nesting Sea Turtles, Nest, Hatchlings and stranded Sea Turtles.
If you see a Nesting Sea Turtle or stranded Sea Turtle in NMB or Briarcliffe areas, please call
NMB STP HOTLINE
843-213-9074
ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT.
Some people are just horrible!
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