U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet assists cold-stunned sea turtle in Hatteras Harbor

January 24, 2024 | Local News | By: Joy Crist

Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet

While taking advantage of exceptional weather conditions to conduct two boat training sessions for coxswain and crew proficiency, personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet made an impromptu rescue of a cold-stunned sea turtle near Hatteras Village on Tuesday, January 23.

“We have received several new members in the past couple of months, and with that being said, they have to ‘learn the ropes,’” stated Station Hatteras Inlet in an online update. “While putting the hours in underway today, we received a notification of a cold-stunned Loggerhead [sea turtle] in Hatteras Harbor Marina.”

“We launched a small boat to assist with the volunteer turtle association. Once retrieval of the turtle [was successful], they transferred over the cold-stunned turtle to the appropriate hands. A day on the water is better than a day behind a desk.”

Cold-stunned sea turtles made an appearance all along the Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke Island shorelines this past week, due to icy temperatures that lingered for multiple days. More than 100 sea turtles were rescued within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) from January 18 through January 22 alone, thanks to CHNS personnel and local N.E.S.T. volunteers.

The winter season is far from over, so beachgoers along the sound and ocean shorelines are advised to keep a lookout for sea turtles in the weeks ahead, especially if another cold snap hits the Outer Banks.

If you spot a sea turtle on land this time of year, please call one of the stranding hotlines with your location:

On Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands: 252-216-6892 (National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore)
North of Oregon Inlet: 252-441-8622 N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles)

Sea turtles in North Carolina are protected by the Endangered Species Act and managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. For more information on N.E.S.T. and to make a donation or learn about volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.nestonline.org/.