Holden Beach, North Carolina Sea Turtles Face Heat Challenges During Nesting Season

Sea turtle volunteers along the North Carolina coast are celebrating a record-breaking nesting season while facing new challenges brought on by extreme summer heat.

The Holden Beach Turtle Watch Patrol in Holden Beach, North Carolina, has documented a significant increase in sea turtle nests this year. Volunteers say they have already recorded 69 nests, compared with 35 nests at the same point last year.

But as temperatures climb, volunteers are monitoring how the heat may affect turtle hatchlings and the future of the population.

Hot beach sand can influence the sex of developing sea turtles. Experts say when nest temperatures rise above about 85 degrees, there is a greater chance of producing more female turtles.

Volunteers say prolonged heat without enough rainfall can push sand temperatures even higher, potentially affecting the balance between male and female hatchlings over time.

"It can definitely sway the ratio of male to female and over the years that definitely could be a problem if you have more females," one volunteer explained.

The heat has also created challenges for the people protecting the nests. Much of the turtle patrol’s work happens overnight, when temperatures are cooler, but volunteers say the extreme July heat has made conditions difficult for beachgoers and wildlife alike.

Volunteers with years of experience say they have seen the effects of intense heat firsthand, including cases where turtle eggs did not survive because conditions became too hot.

Despite the challenges, this year’s nesting season has brought encouraging signs. Volunteers say turtles have adapted to changing conditions for millions of years and continue to follow their instincts when choosing nesting locations.

In some cases, turtle patrol crews will relocate nests if they are threatened by tides or other environmental dangers. Otherwise, they allow nature to take its course while monitoring the nests until hatchlings emerge.

For volunteers, the mission remains the same: protecting one of the ocean’s oldest species and helping ensure the next generation of sea turtles makes it safely into the water.

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