IOP sea turtle season yields high hatch rate success SC Aquarium records high intake of turtle patients By Maurice J. Frazier COMMUNITY 15 IslandVibesIOP.com iving on the coast, sea turtles are one of the well-known reptiles we see throughout the year. For the Isle of Palms, it was a very good nesting season. Sea turtle season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31, which entails a blend of nesting and hatching. Nesting occurs at the beginning of the season, while, with some overlap, hatching happens during the backend of the season. Prior to May 1, mating takes place offshore before the females start heading to the islands to nest. Throughout the year, there were 56 loggerhead turtle nests laid, the third highest ever recorded on IOP, second only to 2019 and 2012. As of Sept. 21, all but the last nest, which was laid during Tropical Storm Debby, have hatched. “Because of erosion and sand projects in Wild Dunes and south of the pier, we had to relocate these nests to the middle of the island where the eggs would not be washed away or covered with trucked in or scraped up sand,” explained Mary Pringle, president of the IOP Turtle Team. Pringle noted that there were a total of 6,822 eggs laid and the hatch success rate was 86.4 percent. Stranding season, where a sea turtle comes onshore due to injury, sickness or debilitation, takes place all year long. These sea turtles are taken to the South Carolina Aquarium for treatment. As of Sept. 12, the SC Aquarium has admitted 33 sea turtles for recovery care. “This is one of the highest number of patients the Aquarium has ever admitted in a single year. We’ve been incredibly busy all year long caring for these patients, whose injuries have ranged from being hooked by fishermen to boat strikes and entanglement, some of which resulted in several turtles receiving flipper amputations,” explained Susan McLaughlin, SC Aquarium public relations coordinator. All sea turtle species are listed under the Endangered Species Act as either threatened or endangered. There are several species in the world, four of which occur in our waters and on our beaches: loggerhead, green, leatherback and Kemp’s ridley. Humans and sea turtles are most likely to cross paths on our beaches and it is important to keep this environment clean and healthy for both. The beachfront specifically is where adult females come to lay eggs for future generations. Residents and visitors are encouraged to be vigilant about light pollution, walking on the dunes and leaving trash on the beach. Do your part to ensure the sea turtles not only survive but thrive in their ecosystem. L Photo provided by the South Carolina Aquarium. Photo provided by SCDNR.
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