Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island

Florida got its first sea turtle nest of 2024 a few days ago! We LOVE to hear this! On HHI, we still have 77 days until the official first day of our sea turtle season. We can at least enjoy some track pictures for now! xoxoxo

Checkout the February Edition of our Turtle Times Newsletter, to see what’s going on behind the scenes during the offseason! Although the sea turtles have yet to approach in 2024, we are preparing for an exciting nesting season to come!! You can sign up to receive our monthly newsletter via our website, or the link attached in the comments. 86 days until nesting seasons begins!!! 🌊🐢♥️

Sea Turtle Patrol HHI - February Turtle Times Sea Turtle Patrol HHI - February Turtle Times

Of course, you all know what Amber Kuehn does for sea turtles on HHI. Did you also know that she is authorized through the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network and NOAA to respond to marine mammal strandings? That's our indefatigable Amber!

Here's to a great 2024 Sea Turtle Nesting Season! Coming to a HHI beach in 120 days, 22 hours, and 12 minutes!!!

At Sea Turtle Patrol HHI, during this holiday season, we are thinking about our fellow sea turtle conservationists near and far! We appreciate your support and we hope you enjoy your days ahead with your family and friends. We wish you all much joy! (credit to for this adorable graphic)

🐢A BIG thank you is in order for everyone who purchased our 'Be Cool' Sea Turtle T-Shirt this year!

Thanks to your ❤ of turtles & t-shirts, we are able to help support the amazing efforts of the Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island

You all rock!

Shout out to the Port Royal chapter of Turtle Trackers!! They sold turtle-themed art at the Port Royal’s Got Talent Art Show. The funds from the turtle table which showcased many striking and fun works of art, was gifted to Sea Turtle Patrol HHI!!! We thank you very much!!

Take a look at holly jolly Josh and Madeline! They got their nest dedication for Chanukah! Their family visits Hilton Head during the nesting season and they are looking forward to hearing about their nest being laid and its hatching results!
Educating members of The Next Generation of sea turtle conservationists make us very happy! Thanks so much for participating in our fundraiser, Ryan Family! These funds keep us rolling down the beach monitoring sea turtle nests during sea turtle season! PS: Our Holiday Nest Dedications ended Dec 1 and will resume on April 1, 2024.

We sure had fun at our Turtle Patrol HHI Christmas Party last night! 🎅🐢 We're getting ready to say farewell to 2023, but we are already planning what promises to be a spectacular sea turtle season beginning on May 1, 2024. At this very moment in time there are only 147 days, 21 hours, and 43 minutes until then!! (Hmmm, did you know we have a countdown clock on our website?😂😂😂)

SOLD OUT!!!! We ended our Holiday Nest Dedication fundraiser on Dec 1, but many sea turtle enthusiasts still want to dedicate nests!! Good news is that nest dedications will re-open starting April 1, 2024! Hang in there, you may participate then!!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7QEn78TBkNE
Our Holiday nest dedications close on Dec 1 so the elves can get these certificates and ornaments on the sleigh and delivered to the recipients in a timely manner! Click here: https://www.seaturtlepatrolhhi.org/nest-dedications

NEXT GENERATION Holiday Wish List

SOLD OUT!!!! We ended our Holiday Nest Dedication fundraiser on Dec 1, but many sea turtle enthusiasts still want to dedicate nests!! Good news is that nest dedications will re-open starting April 1, 2024! Hang in there, you may participate then!!

YOU HAVE ONLY ONE MORE WEEK TO DEDICATE A NEST!!!! This special Holiday Nest Dedication fundraiser ends December 1. Look at these cutie pies who will be very excited to hear about "their" nest in the summer of 2024. We are grooming the Next Generation of sea turtle conservationists, after all!!! Packets which include a certificate with a nest number and one ornament per dedication will be mailed to the recipient the first week of December. To dedicate a nest for the 2024 season please go to our website: https://www.seaturtlepatrolhhi.org/nest-dedications

Sea Turtle Patrol HHI very thankful for our Next Generation of sea turtle conservationists who visit Hilton Head beaches. They may be locals, or they may have travelled from afar. When we get to speak to young people on the beach, their naturally inquisitive nature and their excitement while learning about sea turtles is very evident. Thanks to their families for taking time to chat with us!! Have a Happy Thanksgiving y'all. #

Yes, our Sea Turtle Season 2023 was "Put to Bed" last night. This sold-out event was attended by sea turtle lovers from many walks of life! Amber gave an overview of our nesting season. Andrew Davis, our moderator, spoke to the captivated audience with Dr. Brian Shamblin and Amber about the U of GA Sea Turtle DNA research. Proceeds of the ticket sales will help fund Dr. Shamblin's genetics research program. For our silent auction, many thanks go to artist Richard Grant for his donation of a whimsical abstract painting of sea turtle hatchlings entering the ocean. Thank you to all who made this wonderful event a huge success.

This ornament is a feature of our Holiday Nest Dedication Fundraiser! You can dedicate a 2024 nest until Dec 1 , and your happy recipient will get a certificate with a nest number and this ornament! During the 2024 sea turtle nesting season, both donor and recipient will get information about the dedicated nest as to when it was laid, and when it hatches! We thank you for considering this fundraiser which helps Sea Turtle Patrol HHI perform the permitted nest protection duties on our 14 miles of HHI's beach. Please read more about this on our website: seaturtlepatrolhhi.org

Whatcha doin' this weekend? Shopping? Well, here's a no brainer and you don't have to leave your house! Please consider participating in our fundraiser and dedicate a nest of the 2024 sea turtle nesting season on HHI! Give one away or give one to yourself! From November 1 to December 1, a Holiday Nest Dedication includes a one-of-a-kind ornament that will be mailed to the recipient. https://www.seaturtlepatrolhhi.org/nest-dedications

Congratulations to Mary to be recognized as 1 of 3 Volunteers of the year awards at the end of year DNR luncheon! Nominated by Amber Kuehn, presented by Merideth and pictured Michelle.

To all the sea turtle enthusiasts out there! The perfect gift does exist!!! Dedicate a 2024 Hilton Head Island sea turtle nest! Thank you! Click this link and read more about our Holly Jolly fundraiser. https://www.seaturtlepatrolhhi.org/nest-dedications

This ornament is a feature of our Holiday Nest Dedication fundraiser. Read more about it here: https://www.seaturtlepatrolhhi.org/nest-dedications

👻🎃We don't want to SCARE you, but you are running out of time to get your tickets for the November 14 season wrap up with Amber Kuehn, the manager of Sea Turtle Patrol. Amber will speak about our 2023 nesting results on HHI! Amber and Dr. Brian Shamblin of the Sea Turtle Genetics Project at the University of Georgia will discuss the fascinating genetics program and give an insight to our nesting females! Meet volunteers from Sea Turtle Patrol! Proceeds from the ticket sales will help fund Dr. Shamblin's genetics program. Buy tickets here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/putting-turtle-season-to-bed-results-2023-tickets-721635730897?aff=oddtdtcreator

How do we know where this beautiful sea turtle laid her last nest, or how often she has nested in the past and where her sisters nested? Notice the orange-topped vial that Amber is holding? One research eggshell from every nest is collected and sent to Dr. Brian Shamblin and his team at U of Georgia. The nesting female's DNA from the eggshell and her resulting identification tells us the intriguing story about her nesting life! (Actions conducted under SCDNR MTP566). Meet Dr. Shamblin on November 14! Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/putting-turtle-season-to-bed-results-2023-tickets-721635730897?aff=oddtdtcreator

TikTok · seaturtlepatrolhhi Check out seaturtlepatrolhhi's video.

TikTok · seaturtlepatrolhhi 114 likes, 3 comments. “Some sea turtle stats to end our season: 353 SEA TURTLE NESTS!!! 🥳👏👏🌊🐢♥️ *349 Loggerhead *3 Green *1 Kemps Ridley”

At Sea Turtle Patrol HHI we are so lucky to have earned, through fundraising, this trusty silver steed to take us down the beach on our patrol duties. We take good care of it, washing and vacuuming it daily after each use. It certainly suffers in the salt air and sand!!! Thanks to the folks at Tidal Wave on HHI, we were gifted with many complimentary carwashes which we used during the season. At Tidal Wave, we were able to get that truck cleaned much more thoroughly than we could with our daily spraying!! Thank you, Tidal Wave!!!!

The very last nest inventory of season 2023 was conducted yesterday. Of 353 marked nests that were on HHI, there are no more. Pictures include one last gorgeous hatchling , a stupendous sunset, and a group of Sea Turtle Patrol HHI showing their excitement that STPHHI had a great season!(SCDNR MTP566) We appreciate every one of STPHHI's supporters who helped keep the beach clean, flat and dark for our sea turtles. To be continued May 2024!!

HHI Sea Turtle Season 2023 has come to an end. Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island is proud to hold the permit for monitoring these nests (MTP566). Please join us for a fun and educational night to hear about the entire season on HHI. Proceeds from this event will help fund the important DNA study conducted by Dr. Brian Shamblin at U of Georgia. Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/putting-turtle-season-to-bed-results-2023-tickets-721635730897?aff=oddtdtcreator

Back in early August, STPHHI came upon a nest and the body pit was a tad deep but there was soft dune sand and it was thought that maybe a loggerhead could have plowed into that pile and disrupted it while nesting. That's what most of us thought. ( Except for Kym!) When the nest hatched, no hatchlings were observed, so we still didn't know which species that particular turtle was. (We monitor these nests under permit SCDNR MTP566) We just got DNA results back and that nesting female was a GREEN sea turtle!! Who is responsible for this valuable information? Join us on November 14 to meet the esteemed Dr. Brian Shamblin, whose team at U of GA receives our research eggs from every nest and lets us know much more about every nesting female on our beaches. Don't miss it! Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/putting-turtle-season-to-bed-results-2023-tickets-721635730897?aff=oddtdtcreator