The Star-News reported on Tuesday about the hatching of 70 baby leatherback turtles on Monday night whose mother came to nest on Carolina Beach in July (see Leatherback Sea Turtle Nests on Carolina Beach).This hatching marks the first time in a 20 year recorded history that leatherback sea turtles have nested on Pleasure Island. Leatherback sea turtles can grow to be six and a half feet long and weigh almost 2,000 pounds. They are much larger than the loggerhead turtles we're more used to seeing nest and hatch on our Pleasure Island beaches.
This hatching event was attended by over 100 volunteers and onlookers, several of whom had important jobs in protecting the nest and leading the baby turtles out to sea. Some guarded the nest overnight from predators such as foxes or birds during the last couple of weeks. One volunteer used a lantern to simulate the moon on an otherwise moonless night when the babies made their way out of the sand and needed guidance in finding their way to the sea. Together, the team of volunteers worked to make sure every one of the leatherback turtle babies made it to the sea.
People who watched this event said it was the most beautiful or amazing thing they had ever seen.
StarNewsOnline.com has a video showcasing the hatch. It is definitely worth watching. You can read the full article and watch the video here:
www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090915/ARTICLES/909159986
Were you there? Did you see it? What did you think? Leave a comment to let us know.
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