The Cape Hatteras National Seashore will hold a turtle nest watching session for volunteers at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Attending this orientation meeting is required for volunteers interested in participating with the sea turtle nest watch program.
Nest sitters typically sit on the beach near a designated nest for several hours on their assigned evening(s) and watch that no vehicles breach the nest area, educate beach goers about these creatures and alert NPS staff if the nest starts to “boil,” or hatch.
During the two-hour training, Seashore biological technicians will review nest sitting protocol, safety precautions. Volunteers will learn about sea turtles and will be required to fill out the necessary paperwork to become an official volunteer with the National Park Service.
No pre-registration is necessary.
As of June 8, Cape Hatteras National Seashore reported 60 sea turtle nests on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke through data tracked by SeaTurtle.org. The total includes 57 loggerhead nests and three leatherback nests.
There will also be registration forms to sign to participate as an official National Park Service volunteer.
This training is open to Ocracoke residents and long-term visitors who can commit to sea turtle nest sitting over the course of the season, which generally lasts from July to late September or early October.
Please keep in mind that sea turtle nesting seasons vary from year to year and the number of nests available to nest watch depends on the number of nests laid and the severity of tropical storms that impact the Outer Banks region.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Official Website.
Can you broadcast on YouTube or internet so we can view and learn trading material? Thx
Don’t know, but we can ask.