DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WKRG) — Share the Beach volunteers had a nice surprise Friday morning when they found dozens of hatchling tracks headed toward the Gulf of Mexico.
The nest found on the far west end had been incubating for about 52 days before the newly hatched turtles made their trek to the ocean.
Watch the video below showing the long journey the hatchlings had from nest to the water.
Hatchlings had to fight off crabs, foxes, and birds as they made the crawl. Once in the water, a whole new set of predators await them.
There are 15 nests on Dauphin Island, which is low compared to recent years.
The next step is to excavate the nest to see how many eggs hatched and what stage of development the embryos are in.
Share the Beach has many ways you can help nesting and hatching sea turtles on our stretch of Alabama.
