ASSATEAGUE — Around 100 baby sea turtles emerged from the sandy nest and made their way to the sea last week in the first confirmed successful loggerhead nest hatch ever on Assateague Island.
The National Park Service this week announced a loggerhead sea turtle nest has successfully hatched on the Assateague Island National Seashore. Approximately 100 hatchlings emerged from a single nest site in the Maryland Over-Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone and successfully made their way out to sea.
For Assateague Island, the successful loggerhead sea turtle nest hatching was a first for the barrier island. Although multiple sea turtle nesting attempts have been documented with the National Seashore in past years, last week’s event was the first confirmed hatch and the largest number of hatchlings ever recorded on the barrier island.
“We are thrilled with this outcome,” said Assateague Island National Seashore Chief of Resource Management Bill Hulslander. “This event underscores the increasing importance of undeveloped beaches along Assateague Island to sea turtles and other federally-threatened and endangered species.”
In the Atlantic Ocean, loggerhead sea turtles typically nest on sandy beaches from North Carolina to Florida. It is rare for loggerheads to nest north of Virginia, which is why National Park Service staff in Maryland are so excited about last week’s successful hatching.
The National Park Service monitors nearly 20 miles of Maryland coastline along Assateague Island and reports all sea turtle nesting activity. The resource management staff engages in early morning patrols to locate new nesting sites for sea turtles and other threatened species like piping plovers, for example.
In addition to checking the beaches every morning for signs of nests, park biologists often install temporary closures and fencing around breeding sites to minimize human disturbance. The closures sometimes limit access to certain areas for park visitors, but the rare successful loggerhead sea turtle hatching last week is proof the resource management techniques work and temporary inconveniences are worth it.
“We appreciate the patience and cooperation of park visitors when we implement temporary beach closures for these rare species,” said Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent Debbie Darden this week.
As an endangered species, loggerhead turtles are protected under federal law. By obeying the law and following some simple guidelines, visitors can greatly improve the chances of survival for the sea turtles. Although there are no additional sea turtle nests expected to hatch this season, park staff will anxiously begin searches for sea turtle nests again next summer.
