CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — A nesting loggerhead sea turtle was euthanized after getting hit by a vehicle in the Outer Banks Sunday morning.
According to the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, the injured turtle was found by a law enforcement officer patrolling the four-wheel-drive beaches in Currituck County.
The N.E.S.T. hotline got a call about the turtle with crush injuries, and volunteers came to help transport the turtle to the STAR Center at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. She was brought to receive medical care, but her injuries were too severe, and she was euthanized.
Responding volunteers found the nest that she laid, and said it contained more than 100 eggs.
This accident is the second incident on protected beaches this week.
On Thursday, a vehicle ran over an outer perimeter protecting a different nest. While the nest cavity was safe, Volunteers are reminding drivers to take caution on the beaches at night and scan for wildlife when driving.
The protected nests have perimeters marked with reflective tape, and there are posted speed limits for drivers to follow.
Sea turtle nesting and hatching season lasts through September. According to the National Park Service, the greatest threat to sea turtle survival is human activity. Some of the hazards that threaten sea turtles are coastal development leading to the loss of nesting habitat, fishing gear that causes them to drown, being hit by boats, nesting beach disturbances and more.
Sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and the punishment for destruction of nests or sea turtles includes fines of up to $25,000. Offenders can also spend up to six months in prison.
Anyone with information about either accident can contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Enforcement hotline at 844-397-8477.