May 15th through the end of October is turtle season on Kiawah Island! This is the best time of year to come and visit. Seeing the nests, watching them hatch - it's a great experience for the whole family!
Kiawah Island boasts one of the largest Turtle Patrol volunteer programs in the United States. The volunteers record data about the nests and hatchlings and reports the information to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. According to the SCDNR, the hatch rate on the East Coast without human intervention ranges from one to three percent. The hatch rate with weekend human intervention is five to seven percent. The Town of Kiawah Island's hatch rate averages 70 percent thanks to the daily human intervention of the Loggerhead Turtle Nesting Program! Learn more about these volunteers here.
For the next few months, follow us on our social media platforms to watch Salty the Sea Turtle visit different areas of Kiawah while he explores our beautiful island and says hello to his sea turtle friends! His bags are packed; he's ready to go!