Record turtle nesting season for Oak Island

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — A local sea turtle expert said we’re having a record number of nests this year.

Eileen Ramsdale, a co-director with the Oak Island Sea Turtle Protection Program, said there are 96 nests on the island as of today. Two years ago, she said they had 93 nests but last year they only had 31. Ramsdale said this year is renewing their hopes.

“It is wonderful! I’m very, very excited,” Ramsdale said. “As you said and as you heard, last year was a very low year. We were very worried. If there had been two years in a row that were low, I think the state would have been very worried.”

According to SeaTurtle.org, North Carolina has 1,116 nests as of today. The state only saw 565 nests last year.