MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The first Myrtle Beach sea turtle nest of the season was found earlier this month near the north end of the city.
A post on the city’s Facebook page says the nest was discovered Saturday near 55th Avenue North. The large nest was filled with 143 eggs, the city says.
Giant sea turtles return to the beach where they were born to lay eggs, nearly always at night. According to the post, when the turtles climb out of the ocean onto the sand, they leave a distinctive crawl mark with their flippers, but sometimes the tracks can be difficult to spot.
A couple of photos from the city show the crawl marks from Saturday’s nest, which was relocated to a more secluded area at Myrtle Beach State Park.
Myrtle Beach Beach Coordinator Tod O’Briant and Interpretive Park Ranger Ann Malys Wilson from Myrtle Beach State Park assisted in relocating the nest.
If you spot a crawl, take note of the location and report it to Ranger Wilson at 843-238-0874.
