110 hatchlings: City of Myrtle Beach sees its first sea turtle nest of the season
The City of Myrtle Beach has located its first sea turtle nest of the 2020 season, which was found near the north end of the city Wednesday morning.
A beach maintenance staff member found the nest just before dawn near the Dunes Club and notified Myrtle Beach State Park, according to a post from the city.
A park ranger relocated 110 eggs to the state park, where there is less beach traffic, the city said in the post. The first nest in Myrtle Beach appears to be a loggerhead nest, according to South Carolina Department of Natural Resource’s online nest monitoring system.
Sea turtle nesting season lasts through October, and so far this season, there have been about 179 nests located across South Carolina beaches, the online nest monitoring data shows.
Myrtle Beach reminds folks that it is illegal to disturb sea turtles by touching, shining lights on them or interfering with their nests or hatchlings, and violators could faces thousands of dollars worth of fines. Keep your lights off while walking the beaches at night and if you are digging holes in the sand, covering those holes before you leave the beach will prevent mother turtles from becoming stuck while trying to nest.
Here are tips from DNR if you encounter a nest:
- Report any sick, injured, dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431.
- Always respect turtles by observing from a distance on the beach.
- Keep beaches clean by avoiding the use of single-use plastics. Plastic bags and balloons are some of the most common pieces of trash on South Carolina beaches, and can injure or kill sea turtles if they mistake trash for food.
