Sea turtle hatchlings capture the hearts and minds of visitors to North Carolina beaches—these two-inch hatchlings, weighing less than a half-pound, can create a powerful connection. For the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF), sharing these tiny ambassadors with visitors amplifies our mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of aquatic environments.
For decades, the Aquarium team has taken in hatchlings that did not make the initial trek to the ocean. Near the Aquarium, there is a network of nest watchers, parents and other volunteers who dedicate their time to protect and care for sea turtles. Presently, the Aquarium is home to two rescued loggerhead hatchlings, Hatch and Journey, who in the coming months will be released to the ocean. We have begun caring for a new hatchling, a survivor pulled from an excavated nest. Two other rescued hatchlings did not survive. Hatchlings found in the nest during excavations typically would not make it out on their own.
Some local sea turtle organizations are:
