Rare loggerhead sea turtles are busy digging nests and laying eggs on beaches in Georgia and South Carolina.
Wildlife officials in both states have reported finding dozens of nests since May 1, considered the unofficial start of the sea turtle nesting season. Loggerhead sea turtles, which grow to weigh as much as 375 pounds, are protected under federal law as a threatened species.
Each spring and summer, female turtles crawl from the Atlantic ocean to lay their eggs on beaches from North Carolina to Florida. So far, Georgia wildlife officials have reported more than 50 nests, with more than half found on federally protected Cumberland Island.
Last year there were nearly 2,500 loggerhead nests recorded in Georgia and more than 5,600 in South Carolina.
