Sea Turtles, Nests, and Hatchlings on Topsail Island
Topsail Island is a nesting ground for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. The sea turtles swim for thousands of miles to nest here each year. On Topsail Island, hatching season runs from July through October. During these months, the turtles will come ashore and nest 3 to 5 times during a nesting year. The turtle deposits an average of 120 eggs per nest. After the eggs incubate in the sand for 60 days, they will hatch and make their way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Sea Turtle Education
Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center - Visit Surf City’s nonprofit sea turtle conservation organization that has rescued, rehabilitated, and released close to 400 sea turtles. This rehabilitation center is staffed entirely by volunteers, and 100% of all proceeds go directly to the turtles that they treat. Like and follow them on the Topsail Sea Turtle Hospital Facebook page for the latest announcements and updates.
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Explore and learn more about the sea turtles at the NC Aquarium. Located 1.5 hours South of Topsail is home to the NC Aquarium. Each marine biologist is strongly committed to turtle education and rehabilitating sick or stranded turtles. Adopt a sea turtle at the NC Aquarium to help do your part in keeping these incredible creatures safe! Learn more about the NC Aquarium by visiting https://www.ncaquariums.com/.
Help Protect Sea Turtles on Topsail Island
- Do not walk on or disturb nests. Observe quietly from a distance.
- Do not touch the tracks left by the turtles. These tracks are very important when researching the species.
- Do not use artificial lights on the beach at night (cell phones, flashlights, etc.) The light could cause the turtles to abandon their nests.
- Do not leave oceanside porch lights on at night. Brightly lit beaches can deter nesting turtles.