2016 was a historic year when it comes to cold-stunned sea turtle rescues, and it’s a benchmark that longtime N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) volunteers remember well.
In January 2016, more than 1,200 live turtles were rescued along shorelines across the state, with approximately 600 live turtles found within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Frank Welles, a 15-year sea turtle rescuer and the Hatteras Island N.E.S.T Coordinator, says that the past few weeks had eerie similarities to the now infamous “Turtle Apocalypse of 2016.”
“A normal busy year for us is 100-200 rescues,” said Welles. “The last time we’ve had anything close to this [season] was 2016.”…