Network for Endangered Sea Turtles 24 HR. HOTLINE 252-441-8622

Volunteers / Training

N.E.S.T Volunteers

Sea turtles are one of the Earth’s most ancient creatures. The seven species that live today have been around for 110 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs. Five species – Loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, Green, Hawksbill, and Leatherback – can be found along the coast of North Carolina. Now the very survival of all sea turtles is either threatened or critically endangered due to among other things, entanglement in fishing gear, poaching and illegal trade, coastal development, marine debris, global warming, and ocean pollution.

In order to combat these threats N.E.S.T. needs your help on the Outer Banks in protecting sea turtle nests and hatchlings, rescuing injured sea turtles and reaching out to the public about the challenges to sea turtle survival.

Join One of Our Turtle Teams

  • Nesting Response Team
  • ATV Crawl Patrol Team
  • Nest Sitting Team
  • Cold Stun Stranding Response
  • Rehabilitation Team
  • Education Committee
  • Fundraising Committee
  • Board of Directors
Training is mandatory for all active NEST volunteers. Because sea turtles are protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), anyone handling a sea turtle or sea turtle eggs must have an ESA permit. You can get a permit once you attend training classes.

Training is available during certain times of the year in:

  1. Nest identification and verification
  2. Nest sitting
  3. Turtle stranding and rescue
  4. Turtle rehabilitation **
  5. ATV beach nest patrol
  6. Marine mammals

** All S.T.A.R. Center volunteers shall be subject to all regulations, procedures and policies as set forth by and applicable to the North Carolina Aquariums and the NC Department of Cultural Resources. N.E.S.T. assumes no responsibility or liability for S.T.A.R. Center volunteers.

NEST Spring 2024 Training Schedule

We are thrilled to announce our spring 2024 classes back in person this year!! Below the summary list you can find detailed descriptions of classes with advice on who should take which class. Note that spring classes are for those interested in doing early morning nesting response (new nests laid by mom, not hatchling watching). If you are more a ‘late-night’ nest sitter-type, your trainings will be offered later this summer but feel free to attend an Orientation class this spring.

To make reservations for any class, go to https://nc-wild.org/seaturtles/trainings/ .  Select your class, click sign up, and then click the “Sign Up Without an Account” option. (Volunteers with TrackItForward accounts can sign in and register for a slightly faster process. If using your phone App, use the menu in the upper right corner to toggle to “Events”).  

Class

Date

Time

Location

Orientation & Natural History

Sunday, March 10, 2024

4PM

Online – Zoom

Orientation & Natural History

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

6PM

Kill Devil Hills – Library

 

 

 

 

Nesting Response 101

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

1:30PM

Corolla – Wildlife Center

Nesting Response 201

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

4PM

Corolla – Wildlife Center

ATV Safety & Mechanics

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

5:30PM

Corolla – Wildlife Center

 

 

 

 

ATV Safety & Mechanics

Saturday, April 13, 2024

9AM

Southern Shores – Pitts Center

Nesting Response 101

Saturday, April 13, 2024

10:30AM

Southern Shores – Pitts Center

Nesting Response 201

Saturday, April 13, 2024

1PM

Southern Shores – Pitts Center

 

 

 

 

Nesting Response 101

Saturday, April 20, 2024

9AM

Nags Head – Jennette’s Pier

Nesting Response 201

Saturday, April 20, 2024

11:30AM

Nags Head – Jennette’s Pier

N.E.S.T. Orientation & Natural History
(Required for new volunteers. Optional for returning.)
This class will go over the how to get involved in NC sea turtle monitoring activities from the VA/NC line south to Nags Head. We will then discuss some general biology and life history of sea turtles in NC. This class is intended for new volunteers though all are welcome.

Nesting Response 101
(Required for new volunteers. Returning volunteers may attend the classroom portion but the beach simulation portion will be reserved for new volunteers only. Returning volunteers should NOT attend 201 if they attend the classroom portion of 101.)
This class will introduce how to identify nesting crawls by species, how to locate eggs, and how to complete a nesting response report. We will begin with an hour in the classroom followed by an hour on the beach.

Nesting Response 201
(Required for returning volunteers who want to respond to nesting events. Returning volunteers may alternatively attend the classroom portion of 101 and then you DO NOT need to attend 201, the content will repeat.)
This class will briefly review identifying nesting crawls by species and locating eggs. We will then review some of the more difficult cases and have open discussion about other challenges.

ATV Safety & Mechanics
(For ATV riders who already have an assigned route. Required for all ATV riders. ATV riders must attend a Nesting Response session as well if they wish to participate in nesting response.)
This class is for N.E.S.T. ATV riders. We will review basic ATV mechanics and go over safety procedures.

Note: If you do not have an assigned route but are interested in future openings on the ATV team and have experience with Nesting Response (you have been to a couple of crawls where you helped the team identify the crawl and locate eggs), please email info@nestonline.org to express interest. Include the route(s) you would be interested in (Corolla North, Corolla South, Duck-Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk-Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head) as well as your experience with nesting response.