The first loggerhead sea turtle nest in Georgia of the season was found earlier this week on Cumberland Island, according to a press release by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division.
The loggerhead – the largest species of hard-shelled turtle and Georgia’s primary sea turtle – has been on the federal list of threatened species since the 1970s, due to a number of factors including development and pollution.
Sea Turtle Program Coordinator Mark Dodd of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said in the press release that the nesting season for the species typically begins in mid-May and reaches full volume by June. Last year’s count marked a record 2,333 nests, and Dodd says the department is “expecting a good year” once again.
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