NMB FALSE CRAWL # 7 POSSIBLE GREEN SEA TURTLE CRAWL

 WHILE NMB STP SEGMENT D VOLUNTEERS ARE OUT WALKING SATURDAY MORNING, THEY HAVE FOUND THIS FALSE CRAWL # 7.  ALL CRAWLS THAT ARE FOUND ARE VERY SPECIAL TO FIND, AS THE SPT VOLUNTEERS KNOW THEY ARE MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE SURVIVAL AND FUTURE OF THE SEA TURTLE SPECIES.

 BUT THIS MORNING AN EXTRA SPECIAL SURPRISE, AS THIS IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN A CRAWL FROM A GREEN SEA TURTLE, VERY RARELEY FOUND NESTING ON OUR BEACHES IN SC, AS THE LOGGERHEAD IS THE TURTLE THAT TYPICALLY NEST HERE ON OUR BEACHES.

THIS CRAWL IS MEASURING 36 INCHES

 THE DRAG MARKS ARE WIDER AND THE FLIPPER MARKS MADE AS SHES CRAWLING UP THE BEACH WERE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, DIFFERENT THAN THE LOGGERHEADS, AS THIER FLIPPER MARKS LEAVE AN OFFSET MARK IN THE SAND.

PEEASE BE SURE TO TAKE EVERYTHING OFF THE BEACHES THAT YOU CAME WITH, ESPECIALLY CHAIRS, UNBRELLAS, BEACH TOYS AND ANY GARBAGE, FILL IN HOLES AS ALL CAN HARM AND BECOME OBSTACLES AND ENTAGLEMENTS FOR THE ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES, SEA LIFE, WILDLIFE ON OUR BEACHES, AND HUMANS.

WHILE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE LIGHTS OFF ANY BEACHFRONT BUILDININGS AND NO FLASHLIGHTS ON THE BEACHES, FROM MAY 1st TO OCTOBER 31st, SO THE NESTING SEA TURTLES CAN NEST IN PEACE AND QUIET, THIS TIME OF YEAR IS EVEN MORE CRITCAL TO LEAVE THE BEACHES DARK AND QUIET, AS NOW WE HAVE BOTH SEA TURTLES MOTHERS NESTING AND HATCHLINGS EMERGING FROM THIER NEST, TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE OCEAN. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS JUST CONFUSE AND DISORIENT BOTH NESTING MOTHERS AND THE HATCHLINGS TRYING TO MAKE IT INTO THE OCEANS, IF YOU FEEL A FLASHLIGHT IS A MUST, THEN PLEASE CONSIDER GETTING A TURTLE SAFE FLASHLIGHT WITH A RED LENS, AS THIS WILL BE LESS OBTRUSIVE TO THE SEA TURTLES. 

ALL SEA TURTLES ARE ENDANGERED, THEY ARE FEDERALLY AND STATE PROTECTED, IT IS ILEAGAL TO TOUCH, HARRASE, PICK UP, SHINE LIGHTS ON, OR INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH ANY SEA TURTLE, HATCHLINGS, THE EGGS OR NEST. 

SPECIAL TRAINING, GUIDLINES AND PERMITS ARE REQUIRED TO WORK WITH NESTING SEA TURTLE MOTHERS, NEST, EGGS, HATCHLINGS AND STRANDED SEA TURTLES.

If you see a nesting Sea turtle, stranding, hatchling in NMB or Briarcliffe please call

The NMB STP Hotline

843-213-9074

Anytime day or night