Hatteras Island Ocean Center

06/09/2026

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06/08/2026

Sea turtle nesting season is underway on the northern Outer Banks, and N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) is asking residents and visitors to help protect nesting sea turtles by keeping their distance and avoiding artificial light.

In recent weeks, N.E.S.T. volunteers have documented multiple incidents of nesting sea turtles being disturbed by flash photography, cell phone lights, flashlights, and people approaching too closely. While many people are excited to witness this rare event, these actions can disrupt the nesting process.

Sea turtles nest primarily at night and depend on dark, undisturbed beaches. When disturbed by lights or human activity, a nesting turtle may abandon her nesting attempt, return to the ocean without laying eggs, or choose a less suitable nesting location.

If you encounter a nesting sea turtle:
👉Stay back and observe from a distance.
👉Do not use flashlights, cell phone lights, or camera flashes.
👉Remain quiet and allow the turtle to nest undisturbed.

All sea turtles that nest on the Outer Banks are protected under the Endangered Species Act and are listed as threatened or endangered. Every successful nest contributes to the recovery of these species.

Everyone can also help sea turtles by turning off beachfront lights, filling in holes, removing beach equipment, and picking up trash before leaving the beach.

N.E.S.T.'s conservation work from Nags Head to the Virginia state line is authorized by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit ).

06/08/2026

The Native place names in the Algonquin language.

06/08/2026

We ❤️ World Ocean Day!

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06/07/2026

06/07/2026

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! Sounds like a trip to Happy Belly Ice Cream is in order today!!

06/06/2026

🐢🥚How Do Sea Turtle Eggs Form?🥚🐢

Since we recently found our first sea turtle nest of the season, we thought it would be a good time to talk about how sea turtle eggs form!

Many steps take place before a female sea turtle lays her eggs. Eight to twelve months before a nest is laid, she goes through vitellogenesis (gaining weight to make eggs). In the four weeks before a nest is laid, mating (to get enough s***m), ovulation (to release eggs), and egg shell membrane development (to make a thin and flexible barrier around each embryo) occur. The final step is oviposition, where the female turtle lays her eggs.

This process is very demanding for female sea turtles, which is why they only lay nests once every two to three years.
This conservation work for protected sea turtles in the northern Outer Banks is authorized by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (ES Permit )

10/14/2025

They remind me of schools of fish avoiding predators. How do they NOT crash into each other?

10/12/2025

This raining and blowing weather is tough on a lot of wildlife. The smaller raptors have a time with it because of their high metabolism. I just went through Cape Point Campground and the point area and saw over a dozen American Kestrels fighting the wind, trying to find something to eat. They don't have a choice. They simply have to hunt or perish. They can't sit back and take it easy.

It is even more challenging for owls since the wind hampers their acute hearing. Wet feathers mean they can't fly quietly. Sometimes, the owls can't fly at all. At least the temperature isn't low, which would require them to consume more calories to maintain body temperature.

Please watch for raptors on the ground and for those that are approachable. That generally means they really need help.

If you find a raptor in need, contact your closest wildlife rehabilitator and get instructions. Quite often the birds need to be captured or restrained immediately.

If the birds are on the ground, unable to fly, and see a human, they will assume you are a predator (major stress!). The moment you turn your back, the birds quite often will disappear into the underbrush.