The weather is now getting cooler and most of us are thinking about packing up the beach gear, pulling out the cold weather clothing and even heading out to wherever we intend to spend our winters. Turtle Patrol season seems like a memory even though we still have one nest lingering near boardwalk 2 at the time this article was written.
But there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes…..
It has been a unique and challenging season but every single person on the patrol does this out of love. We don’t mind the early mornings, the oddball weather patterns or the remarkably high tides as it is all worth the effort when we see those little hatchling tracks, and occasionally an actual hatchling, heading out to sea. We are thankful for the beautiful sunrises, the lack of hurricanes, the helpful beachgoers that leave nothing but footprints and take only memories.
Most of you have seen the “walkers” in their colorful shirts as they cover every section of our beach every single morning at sunrise but did you know that we have dozens of volunteers that go the extra mile to take care of these ancient mariners? All these walkers need to be coordinated and policies set. Every crawl, whether it results in a nest or not, is reported to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR). Every individual who volunteers for the Turtle Patrol is carefully trained and abides by the rules and regulations set by the SCDNR. New members are taken under the wing (flipper?) of more experienced patrollers. These walkers do so much more than look for new nests. They also pick up trash, fill in holes, monitor existing nests, and answer lots and lots of wonderful questions and even occasionally give treats to good dogs. The walkers report to dispatchers, who remarkably, are able to coordinate the efforts of the 1st, 2nd, and sometimes even 3rd responders before most people have even started their first cup of coffee.
When a crawl is found, highly trained pairs of patrollers called probers will ride out in the turtle patrol truck, LSVs, and even a Jeep to hopefully find a nest and then protect it. Under very specific circumstances, nests may need to be moved to a location that is safer for the hatchlings. Screens are put in place to protect the eggs from coyotes and racoons. The nest is marked and numbered with a sign. Information about the location, number of eggs, and the mother’s DNA is carefully collected and reported to the SCDNR.
In addition to walkers, dispatchers, and probers we have a small group of incredibly dedicated patrollers that also monitor the nests when they reach 45 days. This is the Pre-Hatching Activity Team (PHAT). They go out in the hot afternoon sun and make sure the screens are still in place, the nests don’t have too much sand built up, have enough sand to keep the hatchlings safe, and that there are no obstructions such as holes, wrack, debris, and sand castles that make an otherwise hazardous hatchling journey even more difficult.
Many of you may have had the opportunity to observe an inventory of a nest. Three days after a nest hatches, it will be dug up and counts are taken of the number of eggs that have hatched or not, and if there are any hatchlings, living or dead, still present in the nest. This data is then reported to the SCDNR. Someone from the education committee is always present at these inventories and they happily explain what is being done by the patrol and what you can do to help. If any live hatchlings are found, they will be escorted closer to the water and will provide a magnificent photo opportunity while they parade down the sand carpet to start their journey to the ocean. Hopefully, in 20 years or so, they will return to the area to start the magical process all over again.
All of these activities are organized by a very small group of dedicated individuals that know the rules, act as a liaison to the SCDNR, report the findings, arrange schedules, ensure that all areas are covered every day, make sure the patrol has the resources it needs to continue this important work, organize the inventories, herd cats, properly train the volunteers and generally dedicate their entire summer to these critters.
In addition to the turtle patrol activities, some members also volunteer for the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). The Network is a cooperative effort coordinated by NOAA fisheries and comprise federal, state, and permitted local organizations that respond to stranded turtles, collect scientific data, transport sick and injured turtles to rehabilitation facilities such as the Sea Turtle Care Center at the SC Aquarium, and help educate the public about Sea Turtle conservation. Several Sea Turtles have been found stranded on Seabrook Island this year and one very lucky, cold stunned, juvenile Green Sea Turtle was found just in time. After months of care at the Sea Turtle Care Center, this turtle, now named Rose, seems to be making a remarkable recovery. You can read about their journey on the Center’s Web Site https://scaquarium.org/rose/
The hatchlings at the inventories may be the stars of the show but it is the unflagging efforts of numerous people that joyfully work behind the scenes that make this all happen.
-Submitted by Anne Snelgrove, Turtle Patrol