CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (May 1, 2020)— Sea turtle nesting season in South Carolina has begun right on cue.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) biologists are pleased to report the start of sea turtle nesting with a nest laid last night (April 30-May 1, 2020) on Lighthouse Island. Located within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, the site of South Carolina’s densest sea turtle nesting, the loggerhead nest was discovered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife sea turtle technician Billy Shaw this morning.

South Carolina’s official sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to October 31 each year, so this year’s season begins right on time after an early start in 2019. Nesting in South Carolina typically starts soon after Georgia’s first nesting report, which occurred on Saturday, April 25, 2020.

USFWS staffer Billy Shaw discovered this nest on Lighthouse Island in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo: Provided)