Early this morning, Caswell Beach Turtle Watch Morning Patrol was very lucky to experience a sea turtle mama in the process of laying her eggs! What a miracle to see in daylight! Since Caswell Beach sees mostly Loggerhead Sea Turtles it is rare to see a daytime visit. They are usually night time nesters. And so, we have Lucky Nest #13!
A number of early morning beach goers got to experience this rare treat, and all kept a respectful distance.
When seeing a mama turtle, our morning patrol’s standard practice (per NCWRC protocol) is to check the turtle for tags and capture measurements.
Our Lucky Nest #13 mama measured (their crawl widths and carapace lengths are usually similar!):
36″ from the top notch on her carapace to the bottom tip of her carapace.
34″ from her widest across the carapace
Crawl Width: 36″
**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 25ST03).
Please consider donating to our efforts as we build up our necessary resources for the season.
You can donate at Caswell Beach Turtle Watch Donations.