Wildlife agents find men who dug up sea turtle nests in SC

FOLLY BEACH, SC (AP) — Three young men on vacation at a South Carolina beach dug up a marked loggerhead turtle nest causing 71 of the 90 eggs not to hatch, wildlife officials said.

The men posted video of themselves digging up a nest marked with orange tape and signs on Folly Beach to Snapchat in September, and the Department of Natural Resources said agents were able to track them down.

The three men, all under age 21, met with wildlife agents and admitted what they did. In exchange, the agency said it won’t charge them with a count of unlawful taking of loggerhead turtle eggs for each egg, instead agreeing to two counts for each man who was seen digging up the nest and one count for the person who filmed it.

The men will face a fine of up to $2,000 on each charge and community service, the agency said in a statement.

Wildlife agents will recommend all three men work with the state Marine Turtle Conservation program so they can find out how much work goes into protecting sea turtles in South Carolina.

More than 1,300 volunteers along the coast help protect nests. Female sea turtles don’t lay eggs every year and their nest are vulnerable if not protected on the beaches.

Wildlife agents said 2021 was a successful year protecting the turtle eggs, with 5,649 nests recorded.