Leatherback Sea Turtle Nesting Season 2014, Underway at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge

The Leatherback sea turtle nesting season of 2014 is underway at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. Night patrols began on April 1 this year and we have been so busy with start up and other projects that this is our first post! We have already been visited by some old (turtle) friends and a couple of neophytes (new nesters). We’ve watched the sun rise with at least three dawn turtles and we are regularly having busy nights featuring six and seven nesting females.

We are very glad to have the project in the capable hands of Jeff Kutz again this year. Jeff was Geographic Consulting’s Field Director in 2012 and we are lucky to have him back. In addition to being a great field director, he also provides me this the chance to include this truly

Geographic Consulting’s wind blown Field Director for 2014

remarkable photograph in this post. Thanks, Jeff.  He has just returned from the 34th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Also back with us for a second season is our Assistant Field Director, Courtney King. We have assembled a fun, energetic and capable group for this year’s work. You can read a little about all of them here.

We will keep everyone posted on what is happening at night inside the refuge on our blog and facebook.