Final Public Inventory Yields Rare Find!

Middle: Tonight, we did the inventory of DEB16 N  6/16  between Walkways #3 and #4.  As sea turtle volunteers, we have mixed feelings about discontinuing public inventories but know it is in everyone’s best interest. We enjoy the interaction with the public and the opportunity to “turtle educate”. Tonight, Kathi A. did a great job, in her animated way, of telling the large crowd about what they could do to help loggerheads. Pat and John were the counters with Pat St. digging out the large nest. Many white eggshells were brought out with just a few unhatched. Toward the end, Pat found one hatchling that had a condition called leucism. The perfectly formed turtle was almost white (like an albino). A hatchling with leucism was recently found at an inventory at Kiawah Island (see below). It has been many years since we have seen one here at DeBordieu & Hobcaw. This nest had an impressive 93% hatch success with a total nest count of 139!  https://youtu.be/QYUS94eDToE

Leucism is different from albinism, as albino animals have a complete loss of pigment, leaving them completely white with red or pink eyes. Loggerhead turtles are typically “reddish brown,” the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory reports. Sea turtles with leucism are rare—largely because odds of survival in the ocean are slim,  

Read full article: https://outsider.com/outdoors/viral/scientists-discover-elusive-white-sea-turtle-hatchling-on-south-carolina-beach/

Save the date: S.C.U.T.E. Loop 5K Run/Walk – October 23!

8-15-21 The crowd at the inventory of DEB16 gathered to hear Kathi speak about loggerheads and to hopefully see a hatchling or two.
8-15-21 Volunteers began the inventory process, digging out the contents and counting hatched/unhatched eggs.
8-15-21 Children seemed to enjoy Kathi’s enthusiasm as she told what they could do to help loggerheads.
8-15-21 A hatchling with the condition called leucism was found in the nest chamber that had not emerged on its own. Apparently, this reduced pigmentation of the turtle is rare. One was also found at a nest inventory on Kiawah Island.
8-15-21 The group watched as the turtle instinctlively crawled to the ocean. The chances of survival are slim because it doesn’t have the natural camouflage of normal loggerheads, making it more susceptible to predators.