Our Executive Director, Amber Kuehn, recently sat down with the Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce to share an update on our second best nesting season on record (with a total of 408 nests this year), and how our local community and island visitors can help us keep Hilton Head Island’s beaches safe for our nesting sea turtles.
Whether you’re a long-time local or visiting our shores for the very first time, protecting our loggerhead sea turtles is a team effort. Check out the interview above to get an inside look at our operations!
🐢 5 Simple Ways You Can Help Protect Our Sea Turtles
As Amber shared in the video, keeping our beaches safe for nesting females and emerging hatchlings doesn’t require a science degree—it just takes a few mindful habits during your beach day:
- Never Disturb Marked Nests: Our patrol team marks active nests with three wooden stakes, bright flagging tape, and an official orange sign. Please give these nests plenty of space and keep pets away!
- Give Hatchlings Space: If you are lucky enough to spot hatchlings emerging from a nest and making their crawl toward the ocean, do not touch, hold, or block them. Stand back, remain quiet, and let nature take its course.
- Flatten the Beach (Fill In Holes): Deep holes in the sand act as inescapable traps for tiny hatchlings and dangerous obstacles for nesting mothers. Always fill in any holes and knock down sandcastles before you leave.
- Leave No Trace: Take all trash, chairs, umbrellas, and beach gear with you at the end of the day. Debris left overnight can entangle turtles or block nesting mothers from reaching safe sand.
- Lights Out After Dark: Sea turtles navigate toward the ocean using the natural light reflecting off the horizon. Artificial lights disorient them. After dark, turn off porch lights facing the ocean and use red-light or low-light flashlights if you are walking on the beach (May – October).