NMB SEA TURTLE NEST #3 INVENTOERY

 On May 15 NMB Sea Turtle nest # 3 was found and protected.   Hatchlings emerged on July 17th, this nest incubated for 63 days before emerging.  Here are a few highlights for this nest.

136 EGGS WERE FOUND IN THIS NEST, ONE EGG WAS USED FOR DNA TESTING

1 spacer egg was found, this egg is non-viable, and is thought to be a buildup of extra calcium. This is very small in comparison to the normal ping pong ball size of a normal Loggerhead Sea Turtle Egg.  Spacer eggs can be larger or smaller than this one.

TWO EGGS WERE OVAL SHAPED AND MUCH LARGER THAT THE TYPICAL LOGGERHEAD

SEA TURTLE EGG.

NOW ITS TIME FOR THE INVENTORTY 

Two of the hatchlings were piped, (the egg was broken open by the hatchling, and are alive but not ready to come out of the shell yet.  They are put back into in the egg cavity, to give them more time to finish developing. 

THESE HATCHLING DIED BEFORE HATCHING, DID NOT FULLY DEVELOPE.  

THE EGG SHELLS ARE CAREFULLY COUNTED AND DOCUMENTED AS TO WHAT STAGES EACH SHELL WAS IN

 RESULTS OF NEST #3

87% SUCCESS HATCH RATE

136 EGGS FOUND IN NEST, ONE SMALL SPACER EGG (NON-VIABLE, NO EGG YOLK) 

ONE EGG USED FOR DNA STUDDIES.

117 HATCHED

18 UNHATCHED EGGS, WHICH 2 OF THESE WERE PIPPED.

3 DIED IN LATE DEVELOPMENT

12 DIED IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT

1 EGG APPEARED TO BE UNFERTILIZED

 DNA RESULTS ARE IN FOR THIS NEST, SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS MOTHER.

THIS MOTHER WAS FIRST DOCUMENTED IN 2016.  WHERE SHE NESTED TWO TIMES IN NC THAT YEAR. 

IN 2019, 3 NEST IN NC, 1 NEST ON WAITIES ISLAND, SC

NMB NEST #3 WAS HER FIRST DOCUMENTED NEST THIS YEAR, WHILE SEA TURTLES ARE STILL ACTIVELY NESTING, THERE MAY BE MORE NESTING RESULTS TO COME.

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, eggs and stranded Sea Turtles.  

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

The NMB STP Hotline

843-217-9074

Any time Day or Night