Sea turtle nesting season is nearing an end in the state of North Carolina, but not before the giant sea reptiles give volunteers and enthusiasts one last hurrah. A loggerhead nest hatched Saturday, Aug. 15 at approximately 9:30 p.m. Another nest was discovered at dawn on Monday, Aug. 17 by long-time Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project volunteers Dick and Linda Chapman.
In both instances, young people, inspired by their fascination with the majestic creatures, contributed to the efforts of the Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project.
On Saturday night, three elementary school-age boys provided the service of watching and counting the hatchlings as they scrambled from their nest to the ocean. Accompanied by their father, the boys waited with volunteers for several nights for the eggs to hatch. On Saturday, when the turtles emerged, the boys dutifully counted 81 hatchlings as they hurried past.
“They were really helpful and they all worked together as a team,” said Nancy Fahey, coordinator of the Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project. “I love it when kids come out and have a positive experience.”
Sunday night, while taking a midnight walk on the beach strand, a young woman from northern Virginia noticed a pattern of tracks in the sand and followed them. Upon seeing a large, dark shape at the base of the dune, she realized it must be a sea turtle, and retreated to allow it to nest in peace.
A sea turtle can be disturbed if she is approached by people and will abandon her efforts to dig a nest, Fahey said. But the young woman knew not to disturb the turtle and the next morning returned to the site to speak to volunteers as they roped off the nest area.
“She knew not to approach,” Fahey said. “I was so impressed. That gives me hope.”
For Fahey, the dedication of the boys counting the turtles and the insight shown by the young woman demonstrate that efforts to educate young people about turtles are working.
“Kids really seem to feel an attachment to the sea turtles,” Fahey said. “They are fascinated by their story of surviving in the ocean.”
To help teach children the story of the sea turtles, and how to participate in conservation efforts, the Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project and other local educators organize and deliver informative sessions around New Hanover County.
Librarians at the Northeast Regional Library on Military Cutoff Road organized a presentation last Thursday, Aug. 13, to teach children important lessons about how they can help protect the endangered loggerhead sea turtle.
Librarian Mary Kleinfeldt distributed white golf balls to a room of children and their parents in the Northeast Regional Library. She contrasted the durable golf balls with the fragile eggs of a loggerhead sea turtle.
“The eggs are soft and they feel kind of leathery,” she said.
Kleinfeldt also warned the children about what may happen if they shine bright lights on the beach during sea turtle hatching season, a period that spans mid-May through August in North Carolina.
Kleinfeldt explained the turtle hatchlings may confuse porch lights, flash lights or any other sources of white synthetic light with the moonlight they follow to reach the ocean.
“Then, the baby turtles get lost and confused,” she said.
Kleinfeldt also discussed other hazards to turtles, such as nets and plastics.
“Plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, which is what turtles eat,” she said.
To conclude the presentation, Kleinfeldt showed a video of sea turtles hatching on Oak Island. She also distributed coloring pages, word searches and small journals to the children.
“We’re always open to giving presentations at community events,” Fahey said. “I have other volunteers that reach out.”
Volunteers from the sea turtle project have given presentations at the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History, the Children’s Museum of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach School. Additionally, they present free educational Turtle Talks at the Fred and Alice Stanback Coastal Education Center every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. throughout June, July and August.
Terry Lane contributed to this story.
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