Turtle Facts | Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program

Sea Turtle Facts

Sea Turtles predate dinosaurs and have existed for over 200 million years.
Sea Turtles have lived to be over 100 years old in captivity.
Sea Turtles love to eat jelly fish, sponges, algae, sea grasses and crustaceans.
Bright house lights that face the ocean will confuse nesting mothers and hatchlings.
The population of Sea Turtles is threatened by pollution, poaching, and habitat loss.
There are 8 species of Sea Turtles. 5 visit North Carolina: The Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Kemp's Ridley, Green and Leatherback.
The majority of the nests on Holden Beach are laid by Loggerhead Sea Turtles.
A Fine of up to $100,000 and or 1 year in prison is the penalty for harassing a sea turtle or disturbing its nest.
The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings (the hotter the sand, the more females develop and cooler sand results in more males).
The average weight of a mature Loggerhead Turtle is 250 to 400 pounds.
Our riders average over 2400 miles a year in routine beach patrols.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Facts
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)	Large thick head; broad, short neck
Weight & Size	200-400 pounds
Favorite Foods	jellyfish, crabs, shrimp
Lifespan	up to 100 years
Nest Size	100 or more eggs
Nesting Season	May to August
Hatching	Occurs from 55 to 89 days from the date laid
Threats	pollution, poaching, fishing, and habitat loss

To report mother turtles laying nests, injured or stranded turtles, unattended hatchlings, disturbed nests or harassment of a sea turtle call us at: 910-754-0766. NOTE: Please use this number only for turtle emergencies.
At night before retiring, turn off all lights that face the ocean, including carports, and, if staying up late, close blinds and draperies in oceanfront rooms between May 1st and October 31st.
We recommend NO flashlights on the beach. NEVER shine a light directly on a mother turtle, baby turtle or at a nest.
Pick up any trash, especially plastic, from the beach. Do not release balloons on the beach. These items look like jellyfish to sea turtles.
If you see a mother turtle or baby turtle on the beach please DO NOT use flash cameras or shine a light on them.
If you see a mother turtle on the beach do not touch, follow or make loud noises around her. Mother turtles can be easily frightened and if stressed may go back into the ocean without laying her eggs. Call the HBTWP emergency number immediately.
Fill in any large sand hole you dig before nightfall, they could trap a turtle, cause a night or early morning beach walker to fall and possibly break a leg and cause an accident to Turtle Patrol riders in the early morning.
It is a Regulation on Holden Beach all unattended beach equipment must be removed from the beach each day between 6PM and 7AM. This insures a clear path for mother turtles to lay their nests.