Turtles Dig in for Nesting Season Cumberland Island is Home to the State’s First Loggerhead Nest of 2007.

By TERESA STEPZINSKI

BRUNSWICK, Ga., — Loggerhead sea turtles have begun nesting on Georgia beaches.

The first loggerhead nest of 2007 was discovered on Cumberland Island in Camden County last week by members of the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative. The group includes volunteers, researchers and biologists from several state and federal agencies who monitor sea turtle nesting statewide.

Based on recent trends, below average nesting activity is expected this year, said Mark Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist who is sea turtle program coordinator for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

“Though the numbers are difficult to project, we expect to see about 500 to 800 loggerhead nests in Georgia this year,” Dodd said.

Nesting activity varies from year to year. Last year, a total of 1,400 loggerhead nests were documented on Georgia beaches. That was the third highest total since the Department of Natural Resources launched comprehensive nesting surveys in 1989.

The most nests documented in Georgia was 1,504 in 2003, followed by 1,419 in 1999. The state’s average has been about 1,045 nests annually, department records show.

Five species of sea turtle are found in waters off the Georgia coast: loggerhead, leatherback, green, hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley. All are protected by state and federal law.

Loggerheads are the only species to routinely nest on the state’s beaches. Leatherback and green turtles occasionally nest in Georgia, but none of those nests was found last year, nor have any been found yet this year, biologists said.

Because it is early in the season, loggerhead nesting data for Florida wasn’t available from state or federal marine biologists.

Mother loggerheads generally nest from May through September. They lay an average of about 120 ping pong ball-size eggs that usually hatch in about 60 days.

Loggerheads don’t nest every year. Generally, it’s about every two or three years. Mother loggerheads appear to return to the same beach where they were hatched to lay their eggs, Dodd said.

Dodd said the long-term recovery goal for loggerheads, which are a threatened species, is an average of 2,000 nests annually over a 25-year period in Georgia.

The main causes of sea turtle deaths is entanglement in commercial fishing nets, loss of beach habitat because of development, and natural predators including coyotes, raccoons and feral hogs that eat the eggs.teresa.stepzinski@jacksonville.com (912) 264-0405HOW TO HELPPeople can help protect nesting sea turtles by following these guidelines from the Department of Natural Resources:– Don’t use lights on the beach at night.– Never disturb a sea turtle that is crawling to or from the ocean.– Once a sea turtle has begun nesting, observe her only from a distance. Do not crowd her.– Do not shine lights in a sea turtle’s eyes or take flash-assisted photographs.– Never pick up, sit on or attempt to ride a sea turtle.– Never disturb a sea turtle nest.– Never pick up, play with or otherwise handle sea turtle hatchlings.– To report a dead or injured sea turtle, or sea turtle harassment, call toll- free (800) 272-8363 (2-SAVE-ME).If the turtle is tagged, mention the tag color and number, if possible.

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