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The Holden Beach Turtle Watch, or Turtle Patrol as it is usually referred to, was founded in 1989 to monitor and protect the sea turtle population on Holden Beach. This all volunteer, nonprofit conservation organization operates under the authority of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. The program currently has approximately 65 members. Learn more..
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Baby Loggerhead Turtle
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What we do!
Starting in May, volunteers begin a dawn patrol of the beach searching for turtle crawls and possible nests. Once a sea turtle crawl is found, a team of turtle patrol volunteers assembles at the crawl location to find the eggs. If the nest is in an unsafe location, the nest will be carefully moved to a safer area on the beach. The nest site is then covered with a protective grating and marked off with stakes, ribbon and a warning sign. For the next 50-70 days of incubation the nest will be monitored for signs of an impending hatching. At that time, turtle patrol members will start a nightly watch on the nest until all of the hatchlings are released. The nest is then opened and an inventory is taken to account for any unhatched or non-fertile egg and insure that all live babies make it to the ocean. This process is repeated with each and every nest. The season ends in October when the last nest hatches.
Call our 24 hour pager: 910-754-0766
Please only call this number for turtle emergencies!
We also maintain a Stranding Team, which aids and assists deceased and injured turtles. Call our 24 hour pager at the number below (a toll free call from the Holden Beach area) to report mother turtles laying their nests, stranded turtles, or unattended hatchlings. Leave your numeric message (phone number) and stand by for a return call. 910-754-0766
Beach Home Refrigerator Magnet
This refrigerator magnet should be in every beach front home. If not contact your rental agent or any turtle patrol member you see on the beach.
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NEW! Turtle fun for the kids.
Online Turtle Coloring page, click here
this page allows children to color a Loggerhead Sea Turtle online. (Flash Plugin Required)
Print the Turtle Coloring Page, click here
print this page and color a Loggerhead Sea Turtle with your own crayons or paint.
Sea Turtle Word Scramble, click here
unscramble words that are related to sea turtles
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Statistics For 2013
Current Nest Count |
False Crawls |
Strandings |
73 |
75 |
9 |
| Total Known Eggs |
Total Baby Turtles to Ocean
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7754 |
7158
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Most Recent Updates & News:
2014 Annual Meeting
posted: March 1, 2014, 5:09 PM
Have you always wanted to join the Turtle Patrol on Holden Beach? For more information contact Skip Hager at hagers2@atmc.net. This is the time to learn more and sign up! The Holden Beach Turtle Patrol’s annual meeting will be Saturday March 29 at 10 a.m. at the Holden Beach Town ...click to read more of this news article.
25th Anniversary T-shirts
posted: February 6, 2014, 1:42 PM
The shelves at the Lighthouse Gift Shop on the Causeway in Holden Beach has been stocked! Check out or 2014 25th anniversary shirt Yes, the Turtle Patrol has been helping sea turtle in Holden Beach since 1989. The shirts are $15 for children, $17 for adults small to XL and ...click to read more of this news article.
2014 T-shirts are available!
posted: January 18, 2014, 7:13 AM
The 2014, 25th Anniversary T-shirts are now at the Lighthouse Gift Shop on the causeway in Holden Beach. The T-shirt committee wanted a simple design, and decided on a kelly green shirt with tribal turtles printed in black. The small turtle and tracks on the front represent the hatchlings that ...click to read more of this news article.
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We are excited to provide video footage of a turtle nest hatching. There are 6 six video clips available for your viewing. We hope you enjoy...
Click here to visit 'The Turtle Patrol Cinema'.
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The Town of Holden Beach is located midway between Wilmington, North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina -- about 40 minutes driving from each. The Town is situated on an Atlantic coastal barrier island, facing south onto the Long Bay region of Brunswick County. I-95 from the north and south, I-40 from the west and US-17 south from Wilmington or north from Myrtle Beach leads to Holden Beach -- approximately 3 hours from Raleigh, or 4 hours from Charlotte or Greensboro, or 7 hours from Asheville.
For more map detail of Brunswick County, go to Brunswick Islands, and then click on "Maps".
 Friend: Holden Beach Town Hall Facebook page for turtle updates.
Visit the Holden Beach Town Hall Web Site
Thank you for buying our t-shirts at turtle talk and at the Light House Gift Shop. This is how we make money to finance the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program (like buying a new 4 wheel drive ATV). Thank all of you who let us use your walkways and visited with us on the beach night after night. You will never know how much your support and friendship on the beach means to all of us.
If you would like to contact us or make a donation, please write to us at:
Holden Beach Turtle Patrol
PO Box 487
Supply N.C. 28462
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