Rare sea turtles shatter nesting records in Georgia and the Carolinas

It's been a good summer for the giant loggerhead sea turtle.

Scientists say that the turtles have been laying eggs left and right in Georgia and the Carolinas, making over 12,200 nests — that's more than the previous high of 11,321 nests in 2016. The rare turtles make their way out of the Atlantic, crawl up the sand, and then dig their nests, laying about 100 eggs at a time. Their nesting season runs from May through August, and volunteers cover the nests with screens to keep predators away.

The giant loggerhead sea turtle has been a threatened species since 1978, and scientists believe that two measures have been critical to their survival: states monitor the nests more than before, and since 1987, shrimp boats have had to use nets that include escape hatches for sea turtles. Female loggerheads don't lay eggs until they reach full maturity at 30 years old, and it's a big deal that so many have been able to survive and start digging nests. "It's been a long haul, but I think we're finally seeing it pay off," Michelle Pate of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources told The Associated Press.

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