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Sea Turtle Nesting

Folly Beach is seeing lots of new life this summer with regards to Sea Turtle nesting, and it is projected to be an exciting year in this department!

According to Alissa Holmes with Live5News, The year 2013 currently holds the record for Sea Turtle nesting on Folly Beach with 108 nests found from May to August and 45 nests laid after June. However, 2019 could be the year to beat this record! This May alone has resulted in 47 nests, and coupled with the 53 found in June, this totals at least 100 nests (Holmes). At this rate, the Sea Turtle Nesting season of 2019 is on track to beat the 2013 record.

Unfortunately, Holmes also points out that with these high numbers also comes a high rate of Sea Turtle harassment and “false crawls”. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has received numerous complaints of people disturbing nests and Sea Turtles which can lead to females abandoning an attempt to lay a nest (“false crawls”) (Holmes). During a time with this many nests being laid, it is necessary to remember that it is illegal to come within 25 feet of a hatchling (Holmes).

With a little space and respect from the humans of Folly Beach, Sea Turtles this season can expect to break records with the number of new lives brought onto the beach!

Holmes, Alissa. “Folly Beach on track for record breaking sea turtle nesting season.” Live5News, 15 July 2019, https://www.live5news.com/2019/07/15/folly-beach-track-record-breaking-sea-turtle-nesting-season/. Accessed 16 July 2019.