The Georgia coast is abuzz with the arrival of sea turtles, as conservationists have recently spotted the first nests of the season. According to a report from WABE, these came with two on Blackbeard Island and others on both Jekyll and Wassaw Islands.

The majestic creatures, embroiled in a struggle for survival, will spend the coming months venturing onto the sands to lay their eggs, a natural event that has been carefully shielded by human hands for six decades. Kicking off in 1964 with a solitary scientist’s vision on a single barrier island, Georgia's sea turtle program today encompasses a broad net of protection across all of its barrier islands. Mark Dodd, the wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, coordinates the state sea turtle program. He reports that the network has expanded significantly since the early days when turtle eggs were a meal and the turtle populations were seeing a significant decline.

Current regulations under state and federal law now shield the turtles, nesting in thousands on Georgia beaches. Just two years ago, they set a record with more than 4,000 nests. The effort echoes the wisdom and toil of those early conservationists, whose detailed data collection and advocacy catalyzed a slew of critical changes.

"Those folks were wise and they worked really hard and they collected a lot of data, and it led to a change," Dodd remarked, as his sentiment echoes through the narrative of the sea turtle resurgence in Georgia, according to WABE. The implemented changes, such as legal protections, devices to prevent shrimp net deaths, and beach-friendly lighting, have been lifesaving for the turtles and have allowed many to return and deposit the future of their species onto the familiar beaches.

The guidelines for human interaction with these delicate processes remain clear and are enforced. Dodd advises Georgia beachgoers to shun artificial lights at night and to keep their distance from the nesting turtles. Additionally, it is imperative to note that interfering with the nests or the emerging hatchlings is not only harmful but also against the law.