Sunset Beach Turtle Program

What you can do to help

Who Are We?

• The Sunset Beach Turtle Patrol– Volunteers for NC

Wildlife Resource Commission: Division of Wildlife

– Concerned Citizens– Friends of Nature

What do we do?

• Walk beach daily• Verify sea turtle nests• Place signs and mark off nests• Monitor nests during incubation period• Observe nest until it hatches• Assist directing hatchlings to the sea• Report live/dead strandings to the State • Perform necropsies when necessary

We also….• Recruit volunteers annually• Provide a new volunteer orientation• Walk beach, educate the public, &

monitor nests - May 1 thru August 31• Provide educational programs to

the schools and social groups• Provide fundraising to support

our program and the Topsail Sea Turtle Hospital

What do we need from you?

• Public awareness of sea turtles

• Education of beach goers

• Volunteers

• Solicitation of funds for supplies and education materials.

The Sea Turtles

The Size Matters

                                                                                                                                                                                             

THE NEST

• Notification– Volunteers patrol the beach daily– Discovered nests are observed daily– Nest/Eggs are located– Identify a “true” nest or “False Crawl”– Area is secured with signs and other

identifying materials to protect it

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

                                                                                                  

Emerging From the Egg

The hatchlings have an egg tooth which they use to break the egg to emerge from the egg.

3 to 4 days

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         3 to 4 days after emerging from the egg turtles make their way up out of the nest and

head to the ocean

The nest is inventoried and data reported to the state

# of hatched eggs# of infertile eggs# of piped eggs# of dead hatchings

Hatched EggsHatched Eggs72 Hours after a hatching72 Hours after a hatching

Satellite TransmitterUsed to track the movements of turtles across the

oceans. Location depth, duration of recent dives. Data provides insight into migration and navigation.

We’ve incubated for 65 We’ve incubated for 65 days, hatched and days, hatched and

waited for several days waited for several days in our nest, and now in our nest, and now ready to head to the ready to head to the ocean – Our Homeocean – Our Home

Natural Threats (including Humans)

• Artificial Lighting (house, bridge, stores, etc.)• Beach and Coastal Development• Boating – Propeller strikes, vessel collisions,

jet ski and other recreational activities • Fishing – hooks, gill nets, long line fishing• Marine Debris cause choking, toxic etc.• Pollution – (oil spills) algae bloom, storm water

runoff, garbage both on and off the beach• Products made from turtles – Jewelry, hair

ornaments – tourism

Items and Items and debris left on debris left on the beachthe beach

Look what Look what damage a simple damage a simple piece of rope can piece of rope can cause…cause…

Fishing line Fishing line and hook and hook stuck inside stuck inside a turtlea turtle

Conservation • Management Efforts:

– Informing the public– Satellite Telemetry– Tags

• Legislative tools– The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)– Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge– Nesting and nest protection– Involving the public

Predators of Sea Turtles• Eggs and hatchlings

– Raccoons, sea birds, – Foxes, ants, crabs, – Opossums and coyotes

• Juveniles– Sea Birds and Fish

• Teenager and Adults– Killer Whales– Variety of sharks

• Sharks are a larger problem because they feed both day and night

Thank You!

Please Support SSBTW Today!