From our news services

National Park Service staff will conduct a public inventory of a loggerhead sea turtle nest Wednesday morning, Sept. 2, at Ocracoke’s Pony Pasture Beach, offering visitors a close look at the final stage of the island’s sea turtle nesting season.

The inventory will begin at 8:30 a.m. NPS staff will excavate the nest to determine its outcome and explain the hatching and emergence results. They also will discuss loggerhead biology and the National Park Service’s sea turtle conservation efforts at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

The nest is approximately 50 yards northeast of the end of the beach access boardwalk. Visitors should park at the Ocracoke Pony Pasture parking area and follow the boardwalk to the beach.

The National Park Service has inventoried more than half of the 94 sea turtle nests documented on Ocracoke this season. Staff are reporting good hatch and emergence success among the nests examined so far.

The favorable results come after an unusual quiet stretch of tropical weather in the Atlantic. Tropical storms and hurricanes can pose a significant threat to sea turtle nests, particularly through storm surge and beach overwash, which can flood nests or alter the sand surrounding the eggs. Severe storms can also cause beach erosion and expose or destroy nests.

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season was forecast to be influenced by large-scale atmospheric and oceanic conditions that could suppress tropical activity, including the effects associated with El Niño in the Pacific. The relatively limited storm activity has provided more favorable conditions for nests during the incubation period.

Sea turtles typically return to the same general beaches where they were born to lay their eggs. After incubating in the sand for roughly two months, hatchlings emerge and make their way toward the ocean, usually under cover of darkness.

Nest inventories conducted by the Park Service after the hatching provide important information about nesting success and help biologists evaluate the health of the sea turtle population and the effectiveness of conservation measures.

Visitors attending Wednesday’s inventory should be prepared for hot and humid conditions. Water, sunscreen, hats and other sun protection are recommended.

The nest inventory is open to the public, although visitors should remain with NPS staff and follow any instructions regarding access to the nest and surrounding beach area.