Hilton Head Island’s 2026 sea turtle nesting season is off to an incredible start! Sea Turtle Patrol HHI Director Amber Kuehn sat down with WHHI News Anchor Betsy McDaniel to share the exciting news that we have already recorded 205 nests—a staggering 80 more than we had at this time last year. Despite the beach renourishment, nesting sea turtles are finding their way up the beach in high numbers. The island even welcomed a rare, surprise visit from a critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, a wonderful treat that has only occurred twice before on Hilton Head Island.
While watching these magnificent 400-pound reptiles is a major summer attraction, it also comes with a big responsibility to share the shore. To help families learn exactly how to protect these creatures, Amber highlighted our family-friendly Monday Night Turtle Talks at Lowcountry Celebration Park. Attendees learn about the critical beach etiquette rules needed to keep nesting females and hatchlings safe—such as using red-filtered flashlights at night, filling in holes so turtles don’t get trapped, and packing out all trash and beach gear before heading home for the night.
Click here to watch the full conversation with Betsy and Amber on WHHI News 🐢📺
