A rare endangered leatherback sea turtle nest was recently discovered on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Visitors found the nest Thursday on a beach near Corolla.
The Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, or NEST, works to protect and conserve sea turtles on the northern Outer Banks. NEST President Tony Parisi said leatherbacks are the largest of all sea turtle species and are typically found in Florida waters.
“We have not seen one in our area since 2009, so this is certainly unusual,” Parisi said.
Parisi said people can help protect sea turtles by filling in holes dug on the beach, picking up trash and turning off outdoor lights at night.