Assisted by a volunteer, biologist Will Seitz excavates a Hawksbill turtle turtle nest. Two nights before, 43 turtle babies got out of their shells, climbed up through the sand, out of their nest and ran to the ocean. Many hawksbill babies die in the nest, so to help them, Will and his volunteer turtle crew dig out nests that have hatched naturally and help additional babies make it to the water to begin their lives. It is estimated that one in 5,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood. They are food for sharks, fish, crabs and birds naturally. Unfortunately they are now also threatened by mongooses, rats, cats, dogs and pigs, all non-native introduced species. Each of these sniff out and dig up the 18 inch deep turtle nests to eat the yummy eggs.
This is the first year that there have been nests on this stretch of beach since before a road was built on it. The road was removed four or five years ago and the turtle nesting habitat was restored. This year a turtle mom (who was tagged on the other side of this island, north of Kona, 20 years ago) laid eggs in five nests in the former road bed. This is a successful road removal!
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