They’re baaaack! Hilton Head reports its first sea turtle nest of 2021 season
Hilton Head Island’s most covert visitors have returned for 2021.
The island’s first Loggerhead sea turtle nest was discovered Monday morning near Folly Field Beach, according to Hilton Head Island Sea Turtle Patrol leader Amber Kuehn. The exact location of the nest was not made public.
Sea turtle season runs from May 1 through October 31 on Hilton Head Island.
Mother sea turtles will come ashore at nighttime, lay their eggs in nests and return to the ocean. After incubating for between 45 and 60 days, eggs begin to hatch, and the tiny sea turtles make their way to the sea.
In 2020, Hilton Head’s beaches were home to 291 sea turtle nests, according to tracking software used by the volunteer sea turtle patrol.
In 2019, there were 463 nests on the island. That was a record high and up from the number of nests reported in 2018 — 179.
Recent advocacy has resulted in two new beach ordinances to protect sea turtles.
An ordinance approved in November 2019 bans personal property, holes and sandcastles left overnight all year long.
Requirements for beachfront property owners say that light on homes and businesses must be shaded or pointed downward during sea turtle season. That ordinance was approved in February.
Sea turtle season reminders
Here’s how to be courteous to sea turtles, according to The S.C. Department of Natural Resources:
Remove large tents, chairs and personal property from the beach. Knock down sandcastles and fill in holes before you leave the beach for the day.
- Report all sick, injured or dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431 so staff and volunteers can respond as soon as possible. Don’t touch a sea turtle on the beach.
- Respect boating laws, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes are the leading cause of death for sea turtles in South Carolina.
- Keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season. They can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings.
- Always respect sea turtles on the beach by observing them from a distance.
- Keep beaches and the ocean clean. Plastic bags and balloons are among the most common trash items found on South Carolina beaches and can cause injury or death when sea turtles mistake them for food.
This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 8:40 AM with the headline "They’re baaaack! Hilton Head reports its first sea turtle nest of 2021 season."
