There was an extremely rare event at Cape Lookout National Seashore this week.
The National Park Service captured a Leatherback sea turtle nesting at South Core Banks. They say the event was rare because the extremely large turtles rarely nest within the park, and it’s also rare to find them nesting during the day.
The Leatherback sea turtle is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. It is estimated that the global population has declined 40 percent over the past three generations.
They are the largest sea turtle in the world; adults are 5 to 6 feet and can weigh 750 to 1,000 pounds.
