World Sea Turtle Day, shining a light on the sea creature

SURF CITY, NC (WWAY) — Monday is World Sea Turtle Day. 

It’s meant to raise public awareness and highlight the importance of the sea creature.  

We went to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation center in Pender County to learn more about the day’s honorees. 

“World Sea Turtle Day is pretty exciting because we are shining a light on sea turtles around the world,” Meyer exclaimed. 

That’s Terry Meyer, the Deputy and Conservation Director at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City.  

In the first 25 years of being open, they’ve treated 1,232 sea turtles. This includes 551 greens, 422 loggerheads, 257 Kemp’s ridleys, one post-hatching leatherback, and one known hybrid. 

Not only do they treat and release sick or injured sea turtles, but they also focus on nesting.  

“Part of our mission is concentrating on keeping the beach dark, friendly, plastic and garbage free, and the nest marked and protected so that we can keep the generations of sea turtles going out into the water.” 

Meyer adds that changing our everyday habits can help protect sea turtles. More specifically, using less single-use plastics and using amber wavelength lights compared to white lights. Sea turtles will travel to the brightest light on the horizon, so using an amber light will help keep sea turtles from traveling towards that porch light.

As sea turtles are global travelers, the conservation effort is not just local.  

“Everything that we are doing here locally is just repeated thousands and thousands and thousands of time over,” Meyer said then went on to add, “People like us, people like you that are interested in preserving our nature and understanding that nature has the same rights to live that we do.” 

Lead intern, Lizzy Ross started as a sea turtle camper and her love for sea turtles grew from there.  

“They’re such cool creatures, they deserve the recognition because a lot of them are either threatened, endangered, or critically endangered like the Kemp’s Ridleys. I think world sea turtle day is bringing awareness around the world to all the species,” Ross shared about her favorite animal. 

According to Marine Bio, World Sea Turtle Day is celebrated on the birthday of Dr. Archie Carr, who is known as the ‘the father of sea turtle biology’ for his focus on sea turtle research and conservation.