Visitors and residents on Ocracoke Island are invited to join rangers at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore for a public sea turtle nest excavation on Ocracoke Island at 9 a.m. Sunday, August 10, at off-road-vehicle Ramp 70. Park at the Ocracoke Island Airport, 1731 Irvin Garrish Hwy. On the beach, walk north (left) for approximately 500 feet.
Be sure to allow for extra time to walk to the nest as the excavation will begin promptly at 9 a.m.
During the excavation, spectators can watch National Park biologists dig up a recently hatched nest, and inventory what’s inside. Biologists will count empty eggshells, collect unhatched eggs, and occasionally find live and/or dead hatchlings during these excavations. While the biologists perform their examination of the nest, a park ranger will present a program on sea turtles and share what the biologists have found.
Note: Due to the unpredictability of sea turtle hatchings, notice of these excavation programs will usually occur only one day in advance. Excavations updates can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/sea-turtle-nest-excavations.htm
For more information and to learn about additional upcoming public nest excavations, visit the Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s website at https://www.nps.gov/caha/learn/nature/seaturtles.htm.
