And, as our fearless leader Jamie said, “the adrenaline rush is real!” after the morning patrol team divided and conquered to deal with the new daily record. The turtle mamas have been persistent and determined, false crawling multiple times per night, high and low, looking for the right spot. One thought is they may be remembering more beach at the east end, where erosion has erased what used to be. Then further west, there’s the opposite issue on the deeper replenished areas where in many cases the crawls are short where mamas don’t expect more beach. We have recorded 106 false crawls to date, several with distinct markings so we know it’s the same mama trying once again to find the right spot. One is affectionately named “Drag Queen”, as she leaves a drag mark behind her.
Caswell Beach is small by comparison to many southeastern beaches, but we are experiencing one of the highest annual nest counts on record for this 4 mile stretch of beach. As of today, we have 91 sea turtle nests with several more weeks of nesting to go. Have a look at what some of these crazy sea turtle mamas are doing!
**This conservation work for protected sea turtles on Caswell Beach is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit 26ST03).
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.
YOU CAN HELP! If you see a sea turtle mama coming onto the beach and and attempting to nest, please call our hotline immediately (910-368-6323) to notify us. During sea turtle season, we monitor 24/7. Please educate your family, friends, neighbors and especially – your renters. ALWAYS feel free to reach out to us if there is a concern, or you have questions. (All contact info is at the top of the page.)
PLEASE PRINT AND SHARE our Sea Turtle Info Sheet below. If you own a rental or are a renter, please post this for visitors to see. Greater education and understanding will lead to more happy and healthy sea turtles gracing our beaches. Every little bit helps!
