To report an adult sea turtle or hatchling on Ocean Isle Beach, please contact us immediately by calling our on call volunteer or the Ocean Isle Beach Police. Please only call these numbers for sea turtle emergencies.
Island Coordinator 704-607-2027
or
The Ocean Isle Beach Police 910-579-4221
We would like to have as much information as possible: location of turtle on the beach and status of turtle (live, injured, dead). Do not attempt to touch or move the sea turtle as any injuries it may have could be aggravated.
Please do not shine flashlights or take flash photographs on or near a turtle or hatchling These lights will frighten and can cause harm to the sea turtles eyes.
During summer months, the turtle may be a nesting female. Stay with the turtle, if possible, until someone from the OIB Sea Turtle Protection Organization arrives.

Nesting female loggerhead
- Loggerhead hatchlings
Thank you,
Deb and Fulton Allen
oibseaturtles@gmail.com
Island Coordinators
Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization (OIBSTPO)
P.O. Box 6524
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
About Us Page 1.2.11
My daughter is interested in the internship program this summer. She is a freshman in high school and has worked as a junior volunteer at the Museum of Coastal Carolina. I see the question about a sponsor; are you asking for a current volunteer to act as sponsor? We know several if needed.
Thanks,
Kim McGirt
Hey Kim-
Thank you for your interest in our intern program. Each intern is assigned a veteran volunteer as a sponsor. After the application deadline, I will do my best to match interns with a sponsor. If you know a veteran OIBSTPO volunteer who is interested in being a sponsor, I will reach ouy to them to verify availability. Applications can be found on our intern page and mailed to
OIBSTPO
PO Box 6524
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
Hey Marsha- Nest sponsorships for 2019 are currently closed. However, we are working on a new sponsorship “Lights Out! Sea Turtles Dig the Dark” The will be a nest sponsor sign at each nest and a Light’s Out, Sea Turtles Dig the Dark sign. Like the nest sponsor sign, each Light’s Out sign will include the sponsor name. Proceeds from these signs will be designated to purchase sea turtle approved light fixtures, light bulbs and other products that will reduce artificial lights on OIB. As soon as we have finalized the new program, I will email interested sponsors. Please let me know if you’re interested.
Deb Allen
704-607-2027
oibseaturtles@gmail.com
Hi, I would like info m your Lights Out sponsorship also.
Thanks,
Pam
Pam-
Thank you. Lights Out sponsorship is $100 with up to 2 Lights Out Sponsorships per nest. Since we will use funds raised to purchase light fixtures and bulbs, this sponsorship in non-refundable. Checks can be sent to OIBSTPO P.O. Box 6425 Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
Sincerely,
Deb Allen
Hey Marsha-
Our Lights Out sponsorships are now available. Please let me know if you are interested and if so, I will add you to our list. For detailed information, please visit dedicated webpage at http://oibseaturtles.org/lights-out/
Thank you,
Deb Allen
Hello!
How can one get on the 2020 nest sponsorship list as a gift for my parents?
Nest Sponsorships open December 1, 2019 and are assigned on a first come basis. We currently have “Lights Out” sponsorships. Cost is $100 with funds ear marked for education, replacement and retrofitting lights that disorient sea turtle hatchlings.If you are interested in being a Lights Out sponsor, please let me know. A sign will be placed at a nest with the sponsors name or In Honor or Memory of a designated person. Lights Out sponsors do not include naming the nest and are nonrefundable. If you are interested in sponsoring a nest this year, you can mail a check to
OIBSTPO
PO Box 6524
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
If I were that turtle I think I would have turned around and gone back out to sea.
People need to know that while this is something magical to watch, people have to stay back. All the kids running around and all the noise has to disturb the turtle. You can see that she stopped in her tracks.
This turtle was on the beach for 2.5 hours, this video is 1 min 15 seconds of the nesting process. She did not stop in her tracks, she took her time to lay her eggs. The majority of that time she was slowly crawling, digging her nest and laying her eggs. Some turtles nest quickly others take hours. If she had been startled, in any way or at anytime, she would have abandoned the nesting process quickly. Our volunteers were on scene immediately following this video. From a safe distance, everyone on the beach learned about sea turtle safety and enjoyed watching her lay her eggs. We gained sea turtle advocates that night by positively educating everyone on the beach about these beautiful animals. Nothing is gained by publicly shaming people, especially children.