The
Pritchards Island Loggerhead Sea Turtle Conservation Project was
developed in 1982 by a USC Beaufort biology professor named Dave
McCollum. Historically, the objective of the project has been to assist
in the conservation and preservation of the loggerhead sea turtle
(Caretta caretta) by protecting the nests and increasing the hatchling
survival rate on land.
Conservation
is practiced by relocating the nests, if necessary, to a hatchery or
other suitable sites and covering the nests with protective screening.
In addition to the nest relocation practices, all nests are monitored
throughout the nesting and hatching season for any disturbances and for
emerging hatchlings along the 2.5 mile beach.
Relocating
nests is necessary on this highly erosional beach due to the high
probability of nests being inundated by the tides. Current nest
relocation methods include using rigid 5-gallon buckets to hold the
eggs during relocation into a new nest cavity. The new nest cavity is
dug using a cockle shell and is made with the same dimensions as the
original nest cavity. Nests are screened in place or in a location
higher in the dunes to prevent mammalian predators, such as raccoons
(Procyon lotor), from digging into the nests and eating incubating eggs
or emerging hatchlings. Pritchards Island
also utilizes rectangular plastic hatcheries that can fit up to 14
nests inside to relocate nests to that are laid in areas that are
subject to tidal inundation and storm erosion.
The
project also serves as an educational outreach program that provides
outreach programs to the community and hands-on field experiences
to the visiting guests on the island. From May through September,
hundreds of project participants from around the country assist the
trained conservation staff with daily beach patrols, nest management,
hatchling monitoring, and nest inventory. These opportunities help
raise public awareness about the importance of protecting the
loggerhead sea turtle and its nesting habitat.
