NMB PROTECTED SEA TURTLE NEST NUMNER 15

NMB STP segment volunteers Kelli, Cayden, Roxanne, Cheryl, Cindy, Bruce and Cheri  found a crawl,  going up the beach, a nice body pit and a nice crawl going back into the Ocean. Santion marked the body pit with two trash cans so no one would run over .  Soon more NMB STP Volunteers arrived to help.  The NMB STP Volunteers walk 11 miles of beach every day to search for any signs of a Sea Turtle crawl or nest so it can be protected. 

THIS SEA TURTLE HAD TRIED OUT ONE SPOT BEFORE CONTINUING FURTHER UP BEACH TO NEST

THE CRAWL GOING BACK INTO THE OCEAN AFTER LAYING HER EGGS. 

If you look closely, you are able to see the V mark towards the outside of her crawl, this will tell the Volunteers the direction she came from.

CHUCK PROBED AND  FOUND THE EGG CAVITY IN NO TIME. 

LINDA HAS VERY CAREFULLY DUG DOWN AND EGGS ARE FOUND.  

120 EGGS FOUND IN THIS NEST, 1 EGG IS USED FOR DNA STUDIES. THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE WILL USE JUST HER BACK FLIPPERS TO DIG A HOLE AROUND 18 INCHES TO 2 FEET DEEP, SOMETIMES MORE.

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, BETH AND ELISE STOPPED BY WHILE THE NMB STP VOLUNTEERS WERE RELOCATING AND PROTECTING THIS NEST. ELISE  HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS AND WAS EAGER TO LEARN ALL ABOUT THE ENDANGERED SEA TURTLE. SHE IS HELPING US PROCESS THE DNA EGG. 

NMB  NEST # 15

Well, the day did not end there, just after getting off the beach a call came into the NMB STP Hotline from Volunteer Sue.  She had found an injured and sick Pelican on the beach.  Sue stayed there protecting this already stressed Pelican from people running up to it stressing him out even more until help could get there. It took a little to secure this Pelican to a safe container to transport him to a rehabber, as he was too injured and sick to fly, he could still travel short distances.

SUE, CHRIS AND A VERY NICE BEACH WALKER, JACOB ALL HELPED IN SAFLEY SECURING THIS PELEICAN TO TRANSPORT TO A LICENCED REHABBER.

ONCE THE PELICAN IS AT THE REHABBER, WEIGHT IS TAKEN, FLUIDS GIVEN, AND THE CARE TO HELP SAVE HIS LIFE BEGINS.

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

If you see a nesting Sea Turtle or stranding in NMB or Briarcliffe areas, please call

the NMB STP Hotline

843-317-9074

Any time day or night