The N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore will host a stunned turtle training session at noon Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Patrols on Ocracoke for sea turtles stunned by cold weather typically begin in January, but could start in December, depending on water temperature. If caught in time, the stunned turtles can be transferred to the NC Acquarium and revived, later to to be released.
Newcomers and seasoned volunteers are invited to attend the training by Jerrica and Tony of N.E.S.T.
Because all species of sea turtles present on Ocracoke are protected under the Endangered Species Act, it’s important that anyone planning on handling, transporting, or assisting with sea turtle patrols this winter is signed up as a N.E.S.T. volunteer so that folks are covered under the legally required state and federal permits.
The session will present updated protocols that were piloted in the 2025/2026 season, and there will be time for questions, clarification and feedback:
- Patrol Routes (both private property and Cape Hatteras National Seashore, if requested by NPS staff)
- N.E.S.T. hotline (252) 441-8622 and Cape Hatteras National Seashore stranding line (252) 216-6892 as well as how to respond to the volunteer patrol recruitment text from N.E.S.T.
- GroupMe / WhatsApp volunteer coordination messaging group, helping volunteers communicate amongst each other during patrol and response days
- Complete patrols early so turtles can be transported on the 10:30 am ferry to Hatteras, facilitating the closure of the Buxton Staging Site by 1 pm during patrol days
- Neither N.E.S.T. nor NPS are permitted to hold turtles overnight
- How to respond to members of the public notifying you of a turtle in the afternoon: please leave the turtle in place and retrieve latitude/longitude (GPS) coordinates for the next morning’s patrol.
- Photographing and documenting stranded turtles as needed.
- Contingency plans based on suspension of ferry operations/ potential road closures along the Outer Banks: If ALL ferries are suspended and the highway is washed out at Pea Island, we will NOT be patrolling for cold stunned sea turtles.
