Sea Turtle Nesting at Masonboro Island Reserve

The  NC Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve  is a program of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, a division of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. The N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed through a federal-state partnership between NOAA and the N.C. Division of Coastal Management. The sites are dedicated for research, education, and stewardship.

  Masonboro Island Reserve,  a dedicated state nature preserve and research reserve is one of ten Coastal Reserve sites and is located off the coast of Wilmington, North Carolina, situated between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach. It is one of the few remaining undeveloped and relatively undisturbed barrier islands along North Carolina's coast. The Masonboro Island component is the largest site, at 5,653 acres, and was designated in 1991.

Five out of the seven sea turtle species can be found in the waters around the coast of North Carolina including leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles. All species except hawksbill sea turtles have been recorded nesting in North Carolina with the most common nesting species being the loggerhead sea turtle. All species are listed and protected under the Endangered Species Act (NOAA).

Sea turtle nesting season in North Carolina occurs from May to October. Nests have been documented outside this range but this is a fairly rare occurrence. Sea turtles utilize the ocean facing beach to lay their nests, typically between dusk and dawn (NCWRC). Always maintain a respectful distance from nesting sea turtles as disturbance can deter them from nesting.

Sea turtle nesting data has historically been collected on Masonboro Island since 1985. This data collection became standardized under the authority of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve in 2010 and continues to be an active program in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The goal of monitoring is to contribute to long-term data sets and support conservation efforts for these threatened and endangered species. Monitoring also provides researchers and land managers information about trends and site usage to plan for the future.

Masonboro Island Reserve contributes to the Northern Recovery Unit Loggerhead DNA Project. This is a multi-state project including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Turtles within this area, known as the Northern Recovery Unit, are genetically disticnt from turtles nesting in Florida and the rest of the world (NCWRC). This project aims to answer questions regarding the populations of loggerhead sea turtles. The  Shamblin Lab  at the University of Georgia is responsible for housing and processing this project data. Protocol calls for one egg to be taken from each nest for DNA extraction. Once the DNA has been de-coded using genetic fingerprinting, the nesting turtles is assigned a numerical code. This allows scientists and coastal managers to complete population assessments and track nesting trends. For more information on this project, visit  seaturtle.org .

In the Summer of 2014, Reserve staff noticed an uniquely shaped sea turtle crawl during routine monitoring that lead to a disturbed area in the sand that appeared to be an abandoned nest. The same unique crawl appeared consecutively for the next few nights. Staff decided to get to the bottom of what was going on. Why was this turtle coming ashore but not laying her eggs?

Staff set out one evening to conduct night monitoring in the hopes to intercept the turtle that had been visiting the same area night after night. After a few hours, success! A loggerhead sea turtle emerged from the ocean and began making her way to the dunes to begin nesting. Staff kept their distance and observed from afar. When the turtle began to dig with her rear flippers to create an egg chamber, it was clear that she was missing her right rear flipper. After observing her struggle to dig a compatible egg chamber, trained and permitted staff assisted in digging. After a few hours of patience and hard work, Junebug deposited her eggs, covered up her nest, and headed back to the ocean.

A single egg sample was taken on the night that Junebug nested in 2014 and thanks to the sea turtle DNA project we were able to discover how many times Junebug has nested on Masonboro Island! The map on the right displays each nest that has been laid on the island since 2010 when she was first detected. Junebug continues to return to Masonboro Island to this day and still struggles in some situations but has overcome her injury and can nest successfully on her own. She has laid nests on Masonboro in 2010, 2014, 2019, and 2024.

Masonboro Island Reserve is an uninhabited and undeveloped barrier island that provides nearly nine miles of ocean facing beach for sea turtles to lay their nests on. This habitat is dynamic and changes year to year from various environmental conditions, but sea turtles continue to nest on the beaches successfully. Explore the following maps that display nesting at Masonboro Island.

The only documented species seen nesting on Masonboro Island are loggerhead and green turtles. As of the 2023 nesting season, there have been 705 loggerhead nests and 44 green nests documented on Masonboro since data collection began in 1985.

• ALWAYS give nesting sea turtles their space. Observe from a safe distance to ensure a successful nesting attempt.
• After your fun on the beach, fill in any holes and flatten sandcastles. Holes or obstacles in the sand can become detrimental to both hatchlings and nesting turtles.
• Keep the beach dark during nesting season (May - October). Bright lights can interfere with nesting turtles and disorient hatchlings making their way to the ocean.
• Pack out everything you packed in. Do not leave any beach gear or trash when visiting the island. Debris left behind can pose an entanglement threat to hatchlings or nesting turtles.
• Report signs of nesting turtles or encounters to the site manager at 910-620-0005.
• Report any stranded or injured sea turtles to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission Stranding Hotline at 252-241-7367.
• Observe, don't disturb posted areas or marked off nests. If you see something concerning, please call/text the site manager at 910-620-0005.

For more tips on how to be a responsible user while visiting the reserve, check out this  link .

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a semi-aquatic species that inhabits the brackish waters of North Carolina. This is the only species of turtle that can survive in both freshwater and saltwater, making estuaries their perfect home. Around Masonboro Island, you may find terrapins in a variety of habitats. In the marsh, terrapins can be found snacking on their favorite food, the periwinkle snails or popping up for a breath throughout the tidal creeks. Terrapins will also utilize the ocean facing beach as nesting, resting, and foraging grounds.

Much like sea turtles, terrapins face many threats including, habitat loss from coastal development, accidental bycatch in crab pots, and climate change. Research and other projects are being conducted to better understand the status of diamondback terrapins across the North Carolina coast and how these threats impact population numbers.

Interested in contributing to diamondback terrapin population data? Join the Terrapin Tally, a community science project done in collaboration with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Trainings take place every Spring. For more information and to sign up, check out our  website !

Additionally, the state wants your help in documenting year-round diamondback terrapin sightings. To report a diamondback terrapin, scan the QR code with your phone and fill out the required questions. For questions, feel free to reach out to terrapintallync@ncwildlife.org.