Hurricane Erin has devastated more than just coastal towns. It has destroyed nearly an entire generation of sea turtle hatchlings along North Carolina’s Emerald Isle. Out of 23 nests laid this season, only two survived the storm. Each nest can hold up to 150 eggs — meaning hundreds of young turtles that should have made their way to the ocean are now gone.

This loss is catastrophic. Loggerhead sea turtles, the primary species that nest in North Carolina, lay eggs only every two to four years. Losing nearly a full season’s worth of nests is not a setback — it is a blow that pushes these endangered animals closer to extinction. With climate change driving stronger storms and rising seas, the threat to their survival grows every year.

For decades, volunteers with the Emerald Isle Sea Turtle Patrol have given their time and energy to protect these fragile nests. They monitor beaches daily, dig trenches to guide hatchlings toward the ocean, and fight the dangers of light pollution and human disturbance. But the devastation of Hurricane Erin has shown that volunteers cannot do this alone. The state and local governments must step up.

We call on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the Emerald Isle Board of Commissioners to immediately expand protections for sea turtle nests. This means creating emergency relocation plans when storms threaten, boosting resources for volunteer patrols, and enforcing stricter protections against light pollution, beach driving, and other human impacts that already endanger hatchlings.

Sea turtles have returned to North Carolina’s beaches for generations. Their survival is part of our state’s natural heritage and coastal identity. But if storms like Erin continue to erase entire nesting seasons without stronger protections, that heritage will vanish.

Add your name to demand urgent action to protect sea turtles after Hurricane Erin — and ensure these ancient creatures have a future on our shores.