Leatherback nest found at Fort Fisher, first in NC since 2012
PLEASURE ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — It’s been six years since a leatherback sea turtle has nested along the North Carolina coast.
Sea turtles experts say they found the first nest by this species in the state since 2012 at Fort Fisher over the weekend.
Superintendent Jeff Owen at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area posted on Facebook photos of the special occasion, calling it a “big deal.”
Owen said leatherbacks typically nest in the Caribbean and Florida.
He says the crawl was more than 6 feet wide and took a crew over 4 hours to find the egg chamber. The turtle also laid three decoy eggs on top of the sand and the actual nest was nearly 30 feet away from those eggs.
Owen said the nest has been roped off to protect it from predators like fox, coyote, and dogs.
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