If you’re headed to the beach in the Myrtle Beach area, chances are you’ll see some sea turtle nests. Sea turtle nesting season began on May 1.
It’s nesting season for loggerhead and green turtles, which means they’re laying eggs in their sandy nests.
If you see any turtles on the beach, it’s best not to disturb them. May 1 through October 31 is the time period when sea turtles nest on our beaches. During this time, it’s illegal to disturb these animals or their nests. The penalty for violating this law is a $500 fine per violation plus restitution costs.
“They’re just very important to our ecosystem,” said biologist Karen Parker, who studies sea turtles at Charleston County Public Library’s Lowcountry Institute for Conservation Sciences. “You can’t really put a price tag on that.“
Loggerheads are considered a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, while green turtles are listed as endangered. Both are classified as globally rare by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has worked with S.C.’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since 1998 to protect these animals from the threat of human disturbances and development along the coast. DNR is required by federal law to protect sea turtle nests from human encroachment during nesting season — May through October — according to NOAA spokesperson Julie Wraithmell.
If you find a nest or hatchlings, please leave them alone. If you see someone disturbing a nest or hatchlings, please call the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources at 843-953-9300 or #77 on your cell phone.