A historic milestone in marine conservation has unfolded on North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks.
Officials with the Network for Endangered Sea Turtle said an endangered leatherback sea turtle nested along the Corolla beachfront—marking the first time the world's largest sea turtle species has nested in the area since 2009.
The massive female spent roughly four hours on the sand early Thursday morning to dig and secure her nest before returning to the Atlantic Ocean. Responders with the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles have safely marked the site and will monitor the eggs daily.
Conservationists said every leatherback nest is incredibly critical to the survival of the endangered species, whose adult members can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
