It’s Sea Turtle nesting & hatching season in North Carolina and the Loggerhead Turtles have been coming ashore – you can help by observing the laws and rules listed here.
Do Not Disturb: If you see an adult sea turtle coming on shore, stay quiet and keep your distance! Otherwise she may get scared and go back into the ocean without nesting. They are an endangered species and it is a federal offense to harass them.
Turn Off All Flashlights! Lights may scare or confuse the adult female and cause her to leave without nesting.
Lights Cause Hatchlings To Go In the Wrong Direction: Please turn off all outside lights each night. Also if there are curtains or blinds use them so your indoor lights do not lead the hatchlings away from the ocean.
Never Pick Up A Hatchling. It is critical that they crawl on their own. Do Not Disturb The Nest Area. Watch for the nest markers.
Stay Off Sand Dunes & Do Not Pick Sea Oats. Sand dunes provide critical habitat for sea turtles and help prevent flooding during times of extreme tides and storms. Foot traffic kills plants and severely damages the sand dunes. The penalty for failure to adhere to this requirement is a $100 fine.
Help Us Keep Our Beaches Clean -Sea turtles may mistake a plastic bag or other forms of litter for a jellyfish (they eat them). All personal items and equipment must be removed from the beach each day- these items may trap a sea turtle.
Please Fill In All Holes On The Beach When Done Playing.- Holes can trap sea turtles and are a safety hazard to humans.
Keep Dogs On Leashes At All Times!– No dogs shall be permitted on the beach strand between the hours of 9:00am and 6:00pm during period of Memorial Day through Labor Day regardless of whether they are leashed or not.
Fireworks can scare off nesting sea turtles and leave behind trash that may be mistaken for food by marine wildlife.- Discharge of fireworks is not permitted per North Carolina state laws.
Fireworks can scare off nesting sea turtles and leave behind trash that may be mistaken for food by marine wildlife.- Discharge of fireworks is not permitted per North Carolina state laws.
Please Report all sightings of nesting turtles, dead turtles, unmarked nests or crawls (looks like a bulldozer came out of the water). If you are on Ocean Isle Beach and happen upon any sea turtle please contact us immediately by dialing: 910-231-8539 or 910-231-3139.
You can adopt a nest on Ocean Isle Beach by making a $100 donation to the Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization.
- Adoption of a nest does not convey ownership of the nest
- Nests will be assigned to nest adoptors on a first come basis
- Any nest requiring relocation will be relocated in accordance with the Handbook for Sea Turtle volunteers in North Carolina, Rev. 2006
A nest adoption:
- may name the nest (within accepted respectful guidelines)
- may choose to participate as part of the nest team with nest parent training
- will receive a Nest Adoption Certificate
- will receive the nest sign with nest information after the nest is closed out.
The Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization is responsible for total nest management. http://www.oibseaturtles.org
The OIBSTPO proudly presents Turtle Talks, during the summer months, twice weekly May 30 through August 30.
- Monday Turtle Talks, May 30 thru August 29 @ 3:30 p.m., Monday Turtle Talks begin May 30 @ 3:30 PM at the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach. The Turtle Talks are free with regular admission to the Museum. The Museum of Coastal Carolina is located at 21 East Second Street, Ocean Isle Beach. Visit www.museumplanetarium.org or call 910.579.1016 for more information.
- Tuesday Turtle Talks, May 31 thru August 30 @ 7p.m., Tuesday Turtle Talks begins at 7:00 PM at the Ocean Isle Beach Comunity Center located at 44 E 1st on Ocean Isle. Please join us for this free Turtle Talks each week.
