October 7, 2010

     Sea turtle season seems to have all but wrapped up for the year here on Tybee. Our last known nest, Nest No. 10, hatched two weeks ago. Two hatchlings were found on top of the nest area the morning after the hatching began and were collected and released that evening.

photo from the Tybee Sea Turtle Project Facebook Page

     Nest No. 10 was excavated September 23rd and, though a few hatchlings made it, 41 were found dead at the top of the nest cavity. We’re told this was mostly caused by a shallow nest cavity (only 11 inches) and the excessive heat. This was the last known nest of the season.
     Thankfully, this was a record year for sea turtles in Georgia, with over 1,700 nests! Let’s send a huge thank you out to all the workers and volunteers with the Tybee Island Marine Science Center and the Tybee Sea Turtle Project that made Tybee’s season so very successful!

photo by Amy Capello contributed to the Tybee Sea Turtle Project Facebook Page