First Nest of the Season

This morning I loaded up all the necessary supplies into the turtle patrol golf cart and went searching for nests at sunrise. I came across a camper who mentioned about turtle tracks up the beach! Sure enough, near the end of the campground access, I found loggerhead turtle tracks leading up to a nest. Using a probe, I located the eggs and removed one for DNA research. 

This is the 6th year for the DNA research project. One egg is taken from each turtle nest along the eastern USA and is used to determine the DNA of the mother turtle. With these findings they can locate where she is nesting each season and where she has nested in previous seasons.

This turtle nested well above the high-tide line so I did not have to relocate. Once I found the eggs, I took a GPS location of the nest and I covered the eggs with a plastic screen to protect from predators.

We are excited to have a sea turtle nest this early in the season. Here's to a busy season!

Photo courtesy of Marjorie Mack