Summary

Turtles hatching in Florida have some new guardians.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 160967
Story Slug Turtle - Savers
Location Clearwater, Florida
Format PKG
Date 5/20/1999
Archive Time 50:45
TRT 2:16
Supers Clearwater, Florida 0:52 Glenn Harman, Sea Turtle Patrol Jan Thornburg, Reporting
Video Description beachfront, all terrain vehicle, turtle in the sand, water on the shore, sot, digging out eggs, digging hole, sot, digging holes, putting back eggs, standup, cranes, trutle, predator, signs, turtles, shorefront, counting eggs
Description Turtles hatching in Florida have some new guardians.
Script LEAD: This is the time of year when hundreds of little lives hang in the balance. This is egg-laying season for sea turtles. Sea Turtles are a threatened species.. So for the next five months, there will be a round the clock mission to make sure their nests stay safe. And as Jan Thornburg shows us, there are some things that can help. (TAKE PKG) SCRIPT: As the sunrises over Clearwater .. A low, soft rumble can be heard. (NATS) At this time of year.. right on the beach .. it can only be one thing: The sea turtle patrol .. courtesy of Clearwater Marine Aquarium. (NATS) Within minutes, the tell-tale flipper marks of turtle are spotted. 3-feet under the sand is a Loggerhead Turtle nest. But, the turtle patrol is about to re-locate it. It's just too close to the water... (SOT) In order to save them, they're pulled out of the sand one by one ... And, carefully placed in a cooler. Soon, there are 2-rows of little turtle eggs. (SOT) (NATS) A new nest is made at higher ground. (SOT) So, he does the best he can to re-create mama turtle's original nest. Then ever-so carefully, one-by-one the eggs are returned underground. (Reporter Stand UP) While hatchlings are very hardy, there are just too many predators out there... waiting to gobble them up. (NATS) Every nest is protected. This is just the fourth found by the turtle patrol this season. But, there will be many more. (NATS) Each female drags herself out of the gulf as many as 5-times a season .. To lay eggs. (NATS) And, the turtle patrol will be here, ready to find the nests ... And, help a threatened species. In Pinellas County, I'm Jan Thornburg fox 13 News. SUNRISE
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