Reports and Studies 2014 Review: 1975 Environment of Kiawah Report | Page 23

Summary & Analysis of the 1975 Kiawah Environmental Report 

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Preservation of beach habitat is necessary for successful nesting.
Excessive rainfall causes destruction of nests.
Serious predation by raccoons is detrimental and requires attention.
H
 ighest density of nests was located on beach zones with densely vegetated
dunes, conducive topography, and areas devoid of human presence
Lowest density of nests exists in areas with beachfront homes.

Suggestions and Assumptions of the Report's Authors
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Methods for increasing viable hatchlings in the future:
a) Control the raccoon population
b) Provide an indoor hatchery
Problems exist that may interfere with Kiawah's population of loggerheads. It
is postulated that loss of nesting habitat, predation, and off-shore adult mortality may cause a great decline of future populations.

Information on Turtles of Kiawah Island from Other Sources
The loggerhead sea turtle is listed as a threatened species by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Nonetheless, Kiawah Island had an excellent nesting season in 2013, with 403 nests on the
beach. A plot of nests by year (www.wildlifeatkiawah.com/loggerhead.html) shows
there is a trend toward more nests in the last decade. We average about 150 nests
per season.

Loggerhead turtle nesting on Kiawah Island

Information about Kiawah Island and the loggerhead turtle is also found in the
2012 Beach Management document:

A program to protect the nests of loggerhead turtles on the beach of
Kiawah Island has been in operation since 1973. In the early years, support
came from the Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA) and the island
developers, but since 1990, the Town of Kiawah Island has provided funding for
the program. Beginning in 1998, the turtle program has operated under a permit from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources under authority
granted through Cooperative Agreements with the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under
Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act.

Historic records show that the Kiawah beach is an important site for loggerhead turtle nesting, with a density of eighteen to twenty nests per mile. This
rate is among the highest in the state for developed areas. Nesting turtles
showed some preference for the undeveloped east end of the island before
1990, but that preference has diminished since then.

Revised: May 2014_REV 8

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