Batch of sea turtle eggs moved to U. of Del. lab

Delaware’s lone sea turtle nest has been moved to a climate-controlled lab at the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment in Lewes.

The nearly 190 eggs were laid by an endangered green sea turtle in August at Cape Henlopen State Park. Within hours, volunteers moved the eggs to higher ground to prevent them from being washed away by high tides. But when temperatures dipped this month, officials and volunteers decided to move the eggs to a warmer spot.

Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, says the group hopes to install a monitoring camera to keep tabs on the relocated eggs.

It usually takes about 60 days for sea turtle eggs to hatch. Delaware’s nest is expected to hatch around Oct. 18.