2016 Season Begins with a Flurry

On April 7th the Turtle Patrol began the new season with New Member Orientation Meeting and the annual Kick Off Meeting. Potential new Turtle Patrol members were provided an overview of the various  activities and volunteer opportunities available in the Patrol. The Kick Off meeting followed immediately with a brief overview presentation by Co Leaders Beautsie Zahrn and Terry Fansler. Members also reserved their walking beach zone and day, ordere their T Shirts and signed up for the various teams and committees.

Earlier in the day, Terry and Beautsie responded to the first stranding of the 2016 season. Unfortunately, the stranded Loggerhead was dead but at least we know they're out there.

Record Season Comes to an End

The 2015 turtle season came to an end on Sunday. Turtlemaster Beautsie Zahrn decided to check on the last remaining nest because of the unusually high tides. It turned out the nest had already hatched so Beautsie , with the help of Judy and Dean Morr, inventoried nest # 69  and the record breaking season came to an end.

The 2015 season brought us an all-time Seabrook Island record 75 nests and we helped 6,095 hatchlings begin their amazing journey. This could not have happened without the hard work and dedication of the nearly 150 Turtle Patrol volunteers.

Nest #69 was found by Monica  Adams, Anne Snelgrove and Melanie Jerome.

Bill and Eileen Middleton found the eggs. It was in situ.

Eggs in the nest - 60

Shells - 25

Unhatched eggs - 35

Dead hatchlings - 0

Live hatchlings - 0

Total live - 25

Hatch & emergence success - 40.9%

We will clean the trucks and equipment on October 10th at 1:00 PM in the Fansler’s driveway at 2618 Seabrook Island Rd. All Turtle Patrol members are invited to pitch in.

The end of year party is scheduled for October 22nd at the Lake House. Please hold the date and await further announcements.

Half the World's Sea Turtles Have Eaten Plastic

 http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/09/19/half-the-worlds-sea-turtles-have-eaten-plastic-study-claims.html

Turtle News - And then there was one

Terry Fansler, Karen Sewell and I opened # 64 and # 68 since they both had been over washed several times and the new is not good.

 Nest # 64 was found by Kathy Maher and Kathy Rigtrup . Bill Greubel and Terry Fansler probed.

Eggs in the nest - 114

Unhatched eggs - 114

 Nest # 68 was found by Karen Sewell and Judy Benko. Jen Gibson and Sandy MacCoss probed.

It was in situ.

Eggs in the nest -  110

Unhatched eggs -  110

 Zone 2 and 3 walkers are finished at last. Thank you for a great job!

 Nest # 69 on zone 1 is the only nest left on the beach. Thegood news is that it has not been over washed so when it is ready to go, it is at 61 days today, we should have a good inventory. See you then.

Beautsie

Turtle News - Beach/Inventory Report 9/15

Beach Report 9/15

 We have 3 nests left on the beach. Nests 64 on zone 3, Nest # 68 on zone 2 and nest # 69 on zone 1.

The walkers of zone 4 are finished for the season. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.

 All other zones need to check their remaining nests. Zone 3- nest # 54

Zone 2 - Nest # 68, Zone 1 -nest # 69. It is vital that we know when these nests hatch.

 Inventories on Monday September 14th

 Inventory of nest # 56 on zone 2 found by Terry Fansler, Chris Czander, Gloria Reynolds, Ginger & Hannah Seabrook and Sara Quinn was sad. The in situ nest had :

Eggs in the nest - 109

Shells - 0

Unhatched eggs - 109

Dead hatchlings - 0

Live hatchlings - 0

Total live - 0

Hatch and emergence success - 0

Wash overs - 4

Nest # 65 was found by Kathy Maher and Kathy Rigtrup on zone 4. Jen Gibson found the eggs. It hatched in 55 days.

Eggs in the nest- 81

Shells - 72

Unhatched eggs - 9

Dead hatchlings - 0

Live hatchlings -  2- YES

Total live- 72

Hatch success - 87.8%

Emergence success - 85.3%

Wash overs - 2

Nest # 66 was found byJoe Ficarra, Jane Magioncalda and Rick and Nancy Wair. Jen Gibson found the eggs. It hatched in 54 days.

Eggs in the nest -  107

Shells - 57

Unhatched eggs -  50

Dead hatchlings - 0

Live hatchlings - 0

Total live - 57

Hatch success& emergence success - 52.7%

Wash overs -2

-          Submitted by Beautsie Zahrn