Shirts are now available at The Lighthouse Gifts Inc. on the Holden Beach causeway, at Turtle Talk and Turtle Time this summer and by mail - order shirts and other merchandise; shop here
Found a mother turtle laying a nest? A stranded or injured sea turtle and/or unattended hatchlings?
Call the HBTWP Stranding Team:
910-754-0766 | 24/7/365
Nesting turtles are frightened by lights and won't lay their eggs on a brightly lighted beach. Hatchlings will go to the lights rather than the ocean! Please help us preserve our marine life by keeping beachfront lighting off from May 1st until October 31st. learn more turtle facts
As recommended by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, it is the policy of the HBTWP to NOT disclose the locations or potential hatch dates of active turtle nests on our beach.
A list of nest locations will NOT be published in newspapers, on this website or on other social media. Please do NOT call the emergency number or contact the Project Coordinator to ask about nests. This is for the safety of the turtles! learn more about turtle nesting
Current Nest Count |
False Crawls |
35 |
32 |
Total Known Eggs |
Hatchlings to Ocean |
4012 |
2389 |
posted: November 19, 2025, 1:43 PM
Our Board of Directors recently met with Kathy Zagzebski, the Executive Director for the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City. The “Sea Turtle Hospital” is our closest wildlife conservancy partner and we awarded a grant to them as thank you for their important work and continuing support for the care for injured and sick sea turtles transport to them. They will use the grant to care for cold stunned sea turtles. We awarded the grant ahead of the winter weather that causes sudden and prolonged decreases in water temperature. Sea turtles that haven’t migrated are...read more of this article.
posted: November 19, 2025, 1:31 PM
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Our Board of Directors recently met with Mary Ellen Rogers, the President of the Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter on Oak Island. Her non-profit organization provides for the rescue, care, hospitalization, and rehabilitation for endangered coastal birds. Sea Biscuit is a local wildlife conservancy partner with the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol, and we wanted to thank her for their shelter’s important work and continuing support for the care for injured and sick wildlife transported to them. We awarded a grant to Sea Biscuit to help fund expenses for the new wildlife shelter located at Oak Island’s Bill Smith Park. PHOTO: Pictured...read more of this article.
posted: November 15, 2025, 12:40 PM
Black Friday Sale now in effect! You don't have to wait until after Thanksgiving to cash-in on reduced prices on 2025 Holden Beach Turtle Watch T-shirts! Check out the prices! Just in time for stocking stuffers for the turtle lover in your family. Not all items available and some sizes have limited availability. Act quickly. When they're gone, they're gone. Be looking for next year's shirt early in 2026. Different shirt each year. Collect them all. ...read more of this article.
posted: November 7, 2025, 5:52 AM
The Holden Beach Turtle Patrol would like to "officially" welcome Stem McNeill as our new Project Coordinator. Steve's wife Bonita joined the HBTP in 2021 and while accompanying her to nests he became passionate about what we do. Steve has been a member of our turtle patrol since 2022. He has served as an Assistant Coordinator and also on the stranding team. Steve succeeded Pat Cusack as Project Coordinator and Permit Holder who resigned last month. Welcome Steve into this new role. We're looking forward to your leadership....read more of this article.