As storm flooded the Outer Banks, baby sea turtles rescued from their nest, video shows
As subtropical storm Melissa caused widespread flooding on the Outer Banks, two trapped baby sea turtles were rescued from their beach nest.
The endangered green sea turtle hatchlings immediately flapped and dashed to freedom in the ocean, according to the 6-second video posted on Facebook by Cape Lookout National Seashore on Saturday.
The hatchlings became entangled in plant roots and “were carefully untangled and released,” park officials said.
“The rest of the nest had already departed on their journey,” according to the post. “Green sea turtles are an endangered species and it is exciting to see them hatch!”
The sound of breaking waves can be heard in the unnarrated video as the turtles scramble across the beach.
The nest hatched Friday on South Core Banks at Cape Lookout National Seashore, park officials said. “Despite extreme high tides, late season sea turtle nests are still hatching on South Core Banks,” according to the Facebook post.
Melissa breached dunes and hurled waves into homes and onto roads on the Outer Banks, The Charlotte Observer reported Friday.
Flooding forced the closure Friday morning of N.C. 12, the only highway connecting the barrier islands of the Outer Banks, according to the Observer.
This story was originally published October 12, 2019 at 6:09 PM with the headline "As storm flooded the Outer Banks, baby sea turtles rescued from their nest, video shows."