CAPE HATTERAS, NC (WVEC) -- Park visitors at Cape Hatteras National Seashore have the opportunity to observe a sea turtle excavation from August to September.
According to the National Seashore, an 'excavation' is the process completed by biologists to document what remains in a sea turtle's nest after a natural hatch occurs. During the spring and summer, different female sea turtles make a brief trip to the Cape Hatteras Seashore to nest.
About two months later, at night, up to 150 hatchlings emerge from each nest and make a run for the ocean.
During an excavation, the biologists will dig up the nest, count empty eggshells, and collect unhatched eggs for research. A park ranger will share with guests what the biologist have found. Some live and dead hatchlings are found during an excavation.
All of the data collected during the excavation is added to the nesting database for the seashore and the State of North Carolina.
Anyone interested in finding out when and where an excavation will take place can call the excavation program hotline at (252) 475-9629. The first excavations of the season will likely take place in early August.
Due to the unpredictability of sea turtle hatchlings, the excavations programs will usually occur only one day in advance, so check the hotline often.
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