The Georgia and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Sea Turtle Programs are participating in a multi-state genetics research project along with the University of Georgia to answer several basic loggerhead sea turtle nesting questions. The answers to these questions will help biologists better understand how the loggerhead population is doing. Currently, the actual number of loggerhead sea turtles that nest in these three states is not known (loggerheads nesting in these three states make up the Northern Recovery Unit which is genetically distinct from loggerheads nesting in Florida and other parts of the world). By collecting an egg from every single nest, we will use DNA genetic fingerprinting (CSI for sea turtles) to identify individual loggerhead nesting females. This information will provide a census of the actual nesting population. In addition to estimating how many females are nesting in Georgia, North and South Carolina each year, we also have the potential to answer the following questions:
- How many clutches of eggs does each nesting female lay in a year?
- Is the female nesting on more than one beach?
- How far apart are her nests?
- How many turtles are nesting in more than one state?
- Most individual females do not nest every year. How often does each turtle nest: every two years, three years, four or more years?
- How precisely does a daughter return to her hatching site to lay her eggs?
- For more specific information, please visit:http://www.dnr.sc.gov/seaturtle/volres/genetics.pdf
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources SeaTurtle.org
2012 Nesting Season DNA Results:
Nests: 9
DNA Samples Assigned: 9 (100.0%)
Unique DNA Fingerprints (individual females): 4
Potential Unobserved Nests:
Maximum Number of Beaches Visited: 3
Maximum Number of Nests: 5
Mean Internesting Period: 13.60 days
Mean Site Fidelity Index: 104.63 km
Minimum Index: 0.73 km
Maximum Index: 295.78 km
| North Myrtle Beach | |||||
| DNA | |||||
| Turtle | Date | Beach | location on NMB | ||
| Code 0868 | 2017 | ||||
| 21-May | NMB--02 | 6th Ave S | |||
| 5-Jun | NMB--05 | 10th Ave N | |||
| 18-Jun | MB | ||||
| 30-Jun | MB | ||||
| 12-Jul | NMB--14 | 10th Ave S | |||
| 2014 | |||||
| 23-Jun | Briarcliffe--01 | ||||
| 4-Jul | Briarcliffe--02 | ||||
| 15-Jul | NMB-06 | 12th Ave N-Wild Nest | |||
| 25-Jul | NMB--03 | 12th Ave S | |||
| 4-Aug | MB--01 | ||||
| 2010 | |||||
| 1-Jun | NMB--02 | 51st Ave N | |||
| 14-Jun | NMB-03 | 8th Ave N | |||
| 27-Jun | NMB--05 | 13th Ave N | |||
| 11-Jul | NMB--07 | 13th Ave N | |||
| 21-Jul | NMB-09 | 12th Ave N | |||
| 1-Aug | MB--03 | ||||
| Code 2844 | 2017 | ||||
| 22-May | NMB--03 | 15th Ave S | |||
| 6-Jun | NMB--06 | 62nd Ave N | |||
| 20-Jun | NMB-10 | 59th Ave N | |||
| 3-Jul | NMB--12 | 62nd Ave N | |||
| 16-Jul | NMB--17 | 44th Ave N | |||
| 2015 | |||||
| 3-Jun | NMB--02 | 37th Ave N | |||
| 17-Jun | NMB--04 | 46th Ave N | |||
| 28-Jun | NMB--06 | 58th Ave N | |||
| 10-Jul | NMB--07 | 41st Ave N | |||
| 2013 | |||||
| 30-Jun | NMB--06 | 40th Ave N | |||
| 10-Jul | NMB-08 | 43rd Ave N | |||
| 13-Jul | NMB-09 | 10th Ave N | |||
| 2011 | |||||
| 11-Jun | Debidue Beach | ||||
| 23-Jun | MBSP- 01 | ||||
| 11-Jul | NMB--15 | 30th Ave N | |||
| Code 4466 | 2017 | ||||
| 29-May | NMB--04 | 21st Ave N | |||
| 14-Jun | NMB--07 | 9th Ave N | |||
| 29-Jun | Briarcliffe--03 | ||||
| 12-Jul | Briarcliffe--04 | ||||
| 2015 | |||||
| 1-Jun | MB--01 | ||||
| 15-Jun | Briarcliffe--03 | ||||
| 27-Jun | Briarcliffe--06 | ||||
| 9-Jul | Briarcliffe--07 | ||||
| 21-Jul | Briarcliffe--08 | ||||
| 2012 | |||||
| 10-Jun | Briarcliffe--01 | ||||
| 24-Jun | Briarcliffe--02 | ||||
| 8-Jul | Briarcliffe--03 | ||||
| 18-Jul | Braircliffe--04 | ||||
| Code 10078 | 2017 | ||||
| 30-May | MB State Park--02 | ||||
| 18-Jun | MB State Park--03 | ||||
| 3-Jul | NMB--13 | 31st Ave S | |||
| Code 4407 | 2017 | ||||
| 19-May | Folly Beach | ||||
| 3-Jun | Folly Beach | ||||
| 1-Jul | Folly Beach | ||||
| 12-Jul | NMB--15 | 18th Ave N | |||
| 2012 | |||||
| 5-Jun | MB--02 | ||||
| 20-Jun | MB--04 | ||||
| Code 6388 | 2017 | ||||
| 22-May | MB--02 | ||||
| 10-Jun | Briarcliffe --01 | ||||
| 29-Jun | Briarcliffe --02 | ||||
| 15-Jul | NMB--16 | ||||
| 2013 | |||||
| 22-May | Emerald Isle | NE of Topsail Island, NC | |||
| 11-Jun | Topsail | ||||
| 25-Jun | Topsail | ||||
| 11-Jul | Topsail | ||||
| 29-Jul | Topsail | ||||
| 17-Aug | Topsail | ||||
| Code 10554 | 2017 | ||||
| 16-Jun | NMB--08 | ||||
| 29-Jun | Oak Island, NC | ||||
| 11-Jul | Oak Island | ||||
| Code 10577 | 2017 | ||||
| Wild | North Island | South of Pawley and Debordieu | |||
| 31-May | North Island | ||||
| 18-Jun | Figure 8 Island | Wrightsville Beach, NC | |||
| 29-Jul | NMB--19 | 21st Ave S | |||
| Code 10290 | 2017 | ||||
| 4-Jun | Folly Beach | ||||
| 17-Jun | Ossabaw/Tybee, Ga | ||||
| 29-Jun | Ossabaw/Tybee, Ga | ||||
| 10-Jul | MB | ||||
| 22-Jul | MB | ||||
| 2-Aug | NMB--20 | 26th Ave S | |||
| 2017-5 Nests unmatched as of Jan 15th, 2018 | |||||
| Code 2726 | 2016 | ||||
| 1-Jun | Briarcliffe--01 | ||||
| 13-Jun | NMB--01 | 46th Ave S | |||
| 26-Jun | Briarcliffe--03 | ||||
| 8-Jul | Briarcliffe--05 | ||||
| 2011 | |||||
| 17-Jun | NMB--07 | Atlantic Beach | |||
| 30-Jun | NMB--10 | 37th Ave S | |||
| 13-Jul | NMB--17 | 21st Ave S | |||
| Code 701 | 2016 | ||||
| Wild Nest | Holden Beach | ||||
| 19-Jun | NMB--02 | 18th Ave N 101 out of 108 hatch | |||
| 14-Jul | NMB--06 | 49th Ave N 107 out of 114 hatch | |||
| 25-Jul | NMB-07 | 40th Ave N 93 out of 105 hatch | |||
| 2014 | |||||
| 4-Jul | NMB-02 | 10th Ave N (0 eggs hatch) | |||
| 29-Jul | NMB-04 | 8th Ave S (2 possible eggs hatch) | |||
| 10-Aug | NMB-05 | 18th Ave N (0 eggs Hatch) | |||
| 2010 | |||||
| 1-Jun | Waties Island | 60 out of 105 hatch | |||
| 29-Jun | NMB--06 | 42nd Ave N 74 out of 98 hatch | |||
| 12-Jul | NMB--08 | 20th Ave N 50 out of 72 hatch | |||
| Code 9472 | 2016 | ||||
| 27-Jun | NMB--03 | 18th Ave N | |||
| 9-Jul | Fort Fisher, NC | ||||
| Code 9197 | 2016 | ||||
| 28-May | Cape Island | Cape Romain | |||
| 13-Jun | North Island | ||||
| 28-Jun | NMB--04 | 17th Ave N | |||
| 14-Jul | Cape Island | ||||
| Code 9264 | 2016 | ||||
| 5-Jun | Folly Beach | ||||
| 22-Jun | Botany Bay | South of Charleston | |||
| 6-Jul | NMB--05 | Main Street | |||
| 25-Jul | Lighthouse Island | Cape Romain | |||
| Code 8903 | 2016 | ||||
| 1-Jul | Ocean Isle, NC | ||||
| 12-Jul | Ocean Isle, NC | ||||
| 14-Aug | NMB--08 | 10th Ave N……1 hatchling Hurricane Matthew | |||
2012 Nesting Season DNA Results:
Nests: 9
DNA Samples Assigned: 9 (100.0%)
Unique DNA Fingerprints (individual females): 4
Potential Unobserved Nests:
Maximum Number of Beaches Visited: 3
Maximum Number of Nests: 5
Mean Internesting Period: 13.60 days
Mean Site Fidelity Index: 104.63 km
Minimum Index: 0.73 km
Maximum Index: 295.78 km
TURTLE #1--Garden City and then Briarcliffe
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref #
|
1
|
05/24/2012
|
Garden City
|
111
|
104
|
12GRD03
|
2
|
06/08/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
85
|
79
|
12-NMB-01
|
TURTLE #2--All 4 nests on Briarcliffe
TURTLE #3--Georgia, NMB (10th Ave S) then Topsail, NC
Turtle #1---NMB Nest #1, 60th Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref #
|
1
|
06/10/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
128
|
122
|
12-NMB-02
|
2
|
06/24/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
123
|
120
|
12-NMB-03
|
3
|
07/08/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
118
|
104
|
12-NMB-04
|
4
|
07/18/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
103
|
99
|
12-NMB-07
|
TURTLE #3--Georgia, NMB (10th Ave S) then Topsail, NC
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref #
|
1
|
06/25/2012
|
Wassaw, Georgia
|
120
|
102
|
#73
|
2
|
07/12/2012
|
North Myrtle Beach
|
118
|
77
|
12-NMB-05
|
3
|
07/25/2012
|
Topsail Island
|
102
|
89
|
TPS-67
|
Turtle #4--Cape Hatteras, NC to MB then NMB (34th Ave S)
then to Briarcliffe then back to NMB (43rd Ave S)
This turtle was seen on Briarcliffe and then on NMB
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref #
|
1
|
06/12/2012
|
Cape Hatteras, NC
|
108
|
107
|
NH34
|
2
|
06/27/2012
|
Myrtle Beach
|
135
|
123
|
12MYB-6
|
3
|
07/12/2012
|
North Myrtle Beach
|
130
|
126
|
12-NMB-06
|
4
|
07/23/2012
|
NMB-Briarcliffe
|
118
|
108
|
12-NMB-08
|
5
|
08/04/2012
|
North Myrtle Beach
|
117
|
97
|
12-NMB-09
|
2011 Nesting Season DNA Results:
Turtle #1---NMB Nest #1, 60th Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
05/13/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
109
|
94
|
11-NMB-1
|
2
|
05/29/11
|
Waties
|
100
|
88
|
|
3
|
06/11/11
|
Waties
|
96
|
80
|
|
4
|
06/23/11
|
Waties
|
58
|
34
|
|
5
|
07/04/11 |
Waties
|
86
|
78
|
|
6
|
07/18/11
|
Waties
|
85
|
72
|
Turtle #2---NMB
Nest #2-9th Ave N
Nest
|
Date | Beach | Eggs |
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/01/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
134
|
126
|
11-NMB-2
|
Turtle #3---NMB
Nest #3-11th Ave S, NMB Nest #18-6th Ave N (2nd one)
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/04/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
139
|
111
|
11-NMB-3
|
2
|
06/18/11
|
Waties
Island
|
136
|
22
|
|
3
|
07/17/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
120
|
89
|
11-NMB-18
|
Turtle #4---NMB
Nest #6-18th Ave N, NMB Nest #9-17th Ave N, NMB Nest #16-Briarcliffe
(Crossover)N, NMB Nest #19-Briarcliffe (Lands End)
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/04/11
|
Surfside
Beach
|
137
|
120
|
11SRF01
|
2
|
06/17/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
115
|
112
|
11-NMB-6
|
3
|
06/28/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
100
|
97
|
11-NMB-9
|
4
|
07/11/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
96
|
0
|
11-NMB-16
|
5
|
07/24/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
107
|
82
|
11-NMB-19
|
Turtle #5---NMB
Nest #7-Atlantic Beach, NMB Nest #10- 37th S, NMB Nest #17-21st Ave
S----This turtle was observed all 3 times she came ashore before 11PM
Nest
|
Date
|
Activity
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/17/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
114
|
103
|
11-NMB-7
|
2
|
06/30/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
92
|
89
|
11-NMB-10
|
3
|
07/13/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
76
|
76
|
11-NMB-17
|
Turtle #6---Hilton
Head and then NMB Nest #8-15th Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/12/11
|
Hilton
Head Island
|
95
|
46
|
|
2
|
06/27/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
118
|
101
|
11-NMB-8
|
3
|
07/13/11
|
Edisto
Town Beach
|
110
|
0
|
Turtle #7---NMB
Nest #11-42 Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
unknown
|
Myrtle
Beach
|
0
|
0
|
11-MYB-16
|
2
|
06/20/11
|
Waties
Island
|
130
|
125
|
|
3
|
07/05/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
113
|
104
|
11-NMB-11
|
4
|
07/28/11
|
Oak
Island, NC
|
123
|
27
|
106
|
5
|
06/20/11
|
Cape
Lookout NS, NC
|
119
|
85
|
SCB
134
|
Turtle #8--NMB
Nest #12-34th Ave S
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
Unknown
|
Surfside
Beach
|
96
|
84
|
11SRF5
|
2
|
06/07/11
|
South
Litchfield
|
103
|
91
|
11-SLT-04
|
3
|
06/24/11
|
Kiawah
Isalnd, SC
|
100
|
73
|
11.03
|
4
|
07/06/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
94
|
90
|
11-NMB-12
|
5
|
08/21/11
|
Litchfield
by the Sea
|
0
|
0
|
11-LTS-06
|
Turtle #9--NMB
Nest #13-6th Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
05/15/11
|
North
Litchfield
|
115
|
105
|
11-NLT-02
|
2
|
06/13/11
|
South
Litchfield
|
113
|
107
|
11-SLT-05
|
3
|
06/25/11
|
Pawleys
Island
|
119
|
99
|
11-PAW-13
|
4
|
07/07/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
46
|
38
|
11-NMB-13
|
Turtle #10---NMB
#14-47th Ave S
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
Unknown
|
Myrtle
Beach
|
0
|
0
|
11MY15
|
2
|
06/15/11
|
Myrtle
Beach
|
94
|
89
|
11MYB05
|
3
|
06/29/11
|
Sunset
Beach/Bird Island
|
0
|
0
|
|
4
|
07/10/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
105
|
104
|
11-NMB-14
|
Turtle #11---Debidue
then MBSP And then NMB #15-30th Ave N
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/11/11
|
Debidue
Beach
|
164
|
151
|
DEB
- 11
|
2
|
06/23/11
|
Myrtle
Beach State Park
|
144
|
134
|
11MBP01
|
3
|
07/11/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
112
|
103
|
11-NMB-15
|
Turtle #12---NMB
Nest #20-33rd Ave S
| Nest | Date | Beach | Eggs | Hatchlings | Ref # |
1
|
06/21/11
|
Waties
Island
|
90
|
71
|
|
2
|
07/08/11
|
Pawleys
Island
|
0
|
0
|
11-PAW-20
|
3
|
07/25/11
|
Figure
8 Island, NC
|
77
|
71
|
29
|
4
|
08/11/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
78
|
70
|
11-NMB-20
|
Turtle #13---NMB
#21-13th Ave S, Then Klure Beach, NC
Nest
|
Date
|
Beach
|
Eggs
|
Hatchlings
|
Ref
#
|
1
|
06/23/11
|
North
Myrtle Beach
|
149
|
144
|
11-NMB-21
|
2
|
07/23/11
|
Klure
Beach, NC
|
0
|
0
|
8
|
Results of 2010 Turtle Nesting Season on NMB:
Turtle 1
DATE BEACH # of EGGS NMB #
06/01/10 Waties Island 105
06/29/10 NMB 98 6
07/12/10 NMB 72 8
Turtle 2
DATE BEACH # of EGGS NMB #
06/01/10 NMB 102 2
06/14/10 NMB 84 3
06/14/10 NMB 84 3
06/27/10 NMB 93 5
07/11/10 NMB 107 7
07/21/10 NMB 95 9
07/21/10 NMB 95 9
08/01/10 Myrtle Beach 108
Turtle 3
DATE BEACH # of EGGS NMB #
05/22/10 NMB 123 1
06/19/10 NMB 124 4
Turtle 4
DATE BEACH # of EGGS NMB #
Unknown NMB-Briarcliffe 136 11 Wild Nest
08/10/10 NMB-Briarcliffe 129 10
