Turtle Watch

The beaches of Crystal Coast can be quite a thrill during the day, but also at night. The soft shuffling of the waves, the sky lit up by shimmering stars and during the summer months, you are even likely to see under the gleaming moonlight a bale of sea turtles in fervent march to reach the water. More specifically, baby sea turtles.

During the summer time, Crystal Coast’s nature comes to life and leaves its tracks on the sands. From May through August, sea turtles will surface during the night to lay their clutch (a nest of eggs) on the shores. The turtle will make her way above the high-tide line and begin digging a large depression into the sand called a “body-pit” and another smaller one inside called the “egg chamber.” As the name suggests, it is in this chamber that the female will deposit her ping pong ball-sized eggs and cover them with sand until they hatch. A sea turtle can deposit anywhere from 50 to 200 soft-shelled eggs at one time. That’s a lot of eggs!

Once fully grown, the hatchlings begin their life-long adventure by first traveling across the sand en masse to the ocean. Huddled under the dark of night, the hatchlings will surface but with a tentative precaution. They are easily deterred by humans, animals or even artificial lights such as porch lights, flash cameras and flash lights. So if you are planning a night excursion onto a Crystal Coast beach, be aware of where you are stepping and careful where you shine that flash light!

Though independent as these tiny creatures may seem at such a young age, do not be fooled—they are quite delicate. Sea turtles have been on the endangered species list for many years now, with the main cause of their population decline being human involvement.

Turtles are often the victims of fishing malpractices and typically wind up as the bycatch from many fisheries. Fishing practices such as shrimp trawling often destroy the habitat and food supply of sea turtles, placing the population at great risk. The intricate designs of certain species’ shells, such as that of the Hawksbill sea turtle, make the turtle a heavily sought after creature in the global market, as well. Their shells are traded to make exotic food, jewelry, oils, leather and other items illegally. It has been estimated that within the past century, the population of the Hawksbill sea turtle has declined by 90 percent.

In an effort to help sea turtles from getting trapped in fishing nets or longlines, the US Federal Government and the Shrimp Trawling industry worked together to create a Turtle Excluder Device (TED). The device essentially allows the turtles and other sea creatures captured unintentionally to escape without affecting the fishermen’s catch.

The Crystal Coast is a great place for kicking back with a line out on the water. But be sure to take note of where you cast out your line and what winds up on the other end!

Fishing isn’t the only thing keeping the turtles on the endangered list. Urbanization and development are also a major factor in the degradation of the sea turtle population.
 
While it seems the life of the sea turtle is dappled with woes and formidable challenges, there are those willing to help. Here on the Crystal Coast, residents are in tune to the trials of the turtles and have taken it upon themselves to do their part to help protect these fragile creatures.

Volunteers scour the beaches along the coast in search of turtle tracks. They follow the tracks to the nesting site and dig carefully by hand to discover the actual nest. Once the location is verified, the site is marked off and then roped off with tape, like a mini crime scene. Organizations such as the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project consist of dedicated volunteers who perform these tasks each day to help prolong the survival of the species.

Another unique way residents of the Crystal Coast are playing a role to help the turtle population is by setting up clinics like the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital. This hospital is purely dedicated to rehabilitating injured sea turtles and protecting the habitats of those that make their nests near Topsail Beach, where the hospital is located. They have helped dozens of sea turtles recuperate and return to the seas over the years.

If you feel for these sea creatures as much as the volunteers at the hospital, you can take part in the efforts too. The hospital opens their doors for visiting hours during the day to allow patrons to pay their respects to the injured turtles and to watch the experts in action.

Another way to help these creatures is to simply be a conscious seafood shopper. Know where your seafood is coming from and if it is turtle-friendly. Be wary of where you stay at the beach. If you choose to sunbathe at a spot near a nesting site, help preserve the nest by granting the eggs some privacy. Each small step you do is a big step in the long run for the turtle’s survival.

Finally, take part in the celebration of a successful sea turtle recovery. Hospitals on the Crystal Coast such as the Karen Beasley Hospital sometimes hold a celebratory turtle release once a turtle has been nursed back to health. These events are usually spread by word-of-mouth. But if you see a small crowd of people congregating at a localized spot on the beach with banners and cheers filling the air, you can be sure a turtle release is in progress. Stop by and watch as volunteers send the turtle back to its natural habitat.