MB PROTECTED NEST # 23 TODAY JULY 6TH

 NMB STP VOLUNTEERS RESPONDED TO A CALL FROM THE HORRY COUNTY SANITATION WORKERS OF A POSSIBLE CRAWL AND NEST ARCADIAN SHORES BEACH, SOUTH OF APACHE PIER.  HIGH HOPES FOR THE NMB STP VOLUNTEERS WALKING THIS SECTION OF THE BEACH. IT HAD BEEN A VERY WINDY EVENING AND MORNNG.  THE CRAWl AND BODY THE CRAWL AND BODY PIT WAS VERY WIND BLOWN.  MOST OF THE SAND HAD BLOWN AWAY, ERASING MOST OF THE EVIDENCE OF A NEST.

THIS SEA TURTLE HAD CRAWLED UP TO THE LIFEGARD CHAIR STOPPING JUST IN FRONT OF IT AND NESTED.  NMB STP VOLUNTEERS SUE, TAMMY, AND KATHY ARRIVED TO HELP.

THE WIND HAS BLOWN AWAY MUCH OF THE TYPICAL SIGNS THAT ARE USED TO HELP IN PINPOINTING THE AREA THAT THE EGG CHAMBER COULD BE, BUT THEY COULD STILL SEE THE FLIPPER MARKS.

MANY WORKERS FROM THE HORRY SANITATION KNOW JUST WHAT A SEA TURTLE CRAWL LOOKS LIKE, THEY'RE VERY CAREFUL TO GO AROUND THE CRAWL AND NEST.

MANY THANKS TO THEM.

LINDA PROBED AND  FOUND THE NEST.  114 EGGS, ONE WILL BE USED FOR DNA STUDIES. THIS NEST IS IN A VERY HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND MANY BRIGHT LIGHTS, SO IT WILL BE MOVED TO A SAFER LOCATION ON BRIARCLIFFE.  ITS PRETTY AMAZING THAT THE LOGGERHEAD CAN DIG DOWN SO DEEP USING JUST HER TWO BACK FLIPPERS, OFTEN 18 INCHES TO TWO FEET DOWN, AND SOMETIMES MORE.  HER EGGS ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PING PONG BALL, AND VERY SOFT SO THEY DONT BREAK AS THE MOTHER DROPS HER EGGS IN THIS DEEP HOLE SHE HAS JUST DUG.

NMB STP VOLUNTEERS FROM BRIARCLIFFE,  BOB, CLAIRE, CHERIE, AND CINDY ALONG WITH SUE AND TAMMY  HELP  MOVE AND PROTECT THIS NEST ON A SAFE AND QUIET LOCATION ON BRIARCLIFF.

All Sea Turtles are endangered, they are federally, and state protected.  Special guidelines, training and permits are required to work with nesting Sea Turtle, her nest, eggs and stranded Sea Turtles.

If you see a nesting Sea Turtle or Stranding on NMB or Briarcliffe areas, please call  

the NMB STP Hotline

843-213-9074

Anytime day or night.