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Federally Protected Sea Turtles Begin Nesting in Georgia

Georgia Department of Natural Resources via AP, File

A protected sea turtles species in Georgia have started their nesting season. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said Monday the first batch of eggs from a loggerhead was found on Cumberland Island beach. The turtles, who are named for their large heads, are the most common sea turtles found along Georgia’s coast.

This season marks the 32nd year the state has  monitored all Georgia beaches for nesting by the federally protected species. A department official says their numbers have been steadily increasing since their initial decline in the early 1990s. The department is dispatching nearly 200 volunteers to mark and monitor all nesting by loggerheads during the nesting season.

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