INVENTORY ON NMB STP NEST # 14

 THIS NEST WAS FOUND ON JUNE 30th. THERE WERE 123 EGGS FOUND IN THIS NEST, 1 WAS USED FOR DNA TESTING.  BECAUSE SEA TURTLES SPEND THIER ENTIRE LIFE IN THE OCEANS, ONLY COMING TO THE SHORES IF NESTING OR STRANDED AND NEED OF HELP, THE DNA TESTING WILL GIVE INVALUABLE DATA, ON THE SEA TURTLES NESTING HABITS THAT WILL HELP IN THE FUTURE OF THE ENDANGERED SEA TURTLE SPECIES.

THE CRAWL AS THIS MOTHER SEA TURTLE CAME ON BEACH TO NEST. ONCE THE NESTING SEA TURTLE LAYS HER EGGS, HER JOB IS DONE WITH THIS NEST. THE HATCHLINGS NEVER SEE THIER MOTHER AGAIN FROM EGG STAGE TO HATCHLING, TO JUVENILE, TO ADULTHOOD, THEY TAKE CARE OF THIERSELVES.

THE MANY HATCHLING TRACKS AFTER THE EMERGENCE OF THIS NEST, THE HOLE FROM WHERE THE BABY HATCHLINGS EMERGED FROM. THE HATCHLINGS WORK AS A WHOLE GROUP, CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE HOLE, WAITING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE HATCHLINGS TO REACH THE SAME AREA AT THE SAME TIME, WHERE THEY MAKE A BREAK FOR IT, ALL AT ONCE, WHERE IT GETS ITS NAME AS A BOIL.

THANKS LINDA  A. FOR THIS PICTURE OF A FEW BABY SEA TURTLE CRAWLS FROM THE HATCHLINGS

AND NOW THE GREAT NEWS ON A GREAT HATCH RATE FROM NMB STP NEST # 14

NMB STP VOLUNTEERS ARE HERE TO HELP AND TALK TO THE VERY CURIOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO SEE THIS INVENTORY, ALLOT OF THEM, JUST HAPPEN TO BE WALKING BY, AND TO THIER SURPRISE, THE NMB STP IS DOING AN IVENTORY

ONE LIVE HATCHLING WAS FOUND IN THIS NEST THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT OUT ON HIS OWN, DON TAKES THE HATCHLING AROUND SO ALL CAN SEE, WHILE THE INVENTORY IS DONE. ALSO, IN THE BUCKET IS An UNHATCHED EGG.

THE INVENTORY IS DONE, THE EGGSHELLS AND THE HOLE

GARY AND KATHY

THE INVENTORY RESULTS ARE GIVEN TO ALL AT THE NEST, THIS ONE IS 96.7% HATCH SUCCESS RATE

EVERONE IS WELCOME TO WATCH THE 1 HATCHLING GO ON ITS WAY INTO THE OCEAN, ON HIS /HER NEW ADVENTURE OF LIFE.  TWO LINES ON EACH SIDE FAR APART WITH THE HATCHLING ABLE TO MAKE ITS WAY TO THE OCEAN. AS THEY ESTIMATE 1 ON EVERY 1000 MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD, WILL HTIS BE THE ONE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE BEACHES OF SC IN 30 TO 35 YEARS/

  AND NOW THE GREAT INVENTORY RESULTS

123 EGGS, ONE USED FOR DNA

96.7% Hatch Success Rate

123 eggs

118 hatched eggs

4 whole or unhatched eggs, of these 1 died in late development (one egg was white, probably 

   unfertilized)

1 live hatchling

All Sea Turtles are endangered, they are federally, and state protected, special guidelines, training and permits are required to work with nesting Sea Turtles, Hatchlings, nest, eggs and strandings.

If you see a Hatchling, a nest that has been disturbed or a stranded Sea Turtle in NMB or Briarcliffe please call the NMB STP Hotline.

NMB STP HOTLINE

843-317-9074

Any time day or night