Volunteers Needed to Help Find Cold Stunned Sea Turtles

By CONNIE LEINBACH
THE OCRACOKE OBSERVER

The Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (NEST) is seeking volunteers interested in helping patrol for and/or transport sea turtles that wash up on the shore during the fall and winter months.

NEST will be holding an informational meeting with training 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in the Ocracoke Community Center.

Established in 1995, NEST is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of sea turtles and other protected marine wildlife on the Outer Banks. It is committed to contributing to the preservation of these species through research and rescue and rehabilitation efforts and to fostering greater understanding and appreciation of these species and their habitat through education and enhanced public awareness.

The network also rescues and transports sick and injured sea turtles to the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center at the Aquarium on Roanoke Island. It has rescued hundreds of turtles stunned by the cold water and stranded in Pamlico Sound.

For more information, contact NEST’s Hatteras Island Coordinator, Frank Welles at fgwelles@aol.com or 252-995-2417.