{"id":13823,"date":"2020-09-16T13:58:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-16T17:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=13823"},"modified":"2021-01-05T16:56:24","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T21:56:24","slug":"naturalists-notebook","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/current-issue\/fall-2020\/naturalists-notebook\/","title":{"rendered":"Naturalist’s Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"
courtesy of\u00a0T. Moore\/NOAA<\/em><\/p>\n BY SARA MIRABILIO<\/strong><\/p>\n At the N.C. aquarium on Roanoke Island, a January cold snap resulted in about 180 sea turtle \u201cpatients\u201d at the facility for rehab, almost all suffering from a condition called cold stun \u2014 the hypothermia that occurs when sea turtles are exposed to quick onset or prolonged cold-water temperatures.<\/p>\n As cold-blooded animals, sea turtles are vulnerable to climate change, because their life history and reproduction are tied to environmental temperatures. High temperatures in the nest increase hatchling mortality, as well as the proportion of female hatchlings produced. This, in turn, affects long-term viability of sea turtle populations. Worldwide, six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as threatened or endangered, which is why sea turtles are a high priority for natural resource managers.<\/p>\n In North Carolina, scientists wanted to know a little more about the risk to sea turtle populations from environmental changes.<\/p>\nNaturalist’s Notebook<\/em><\/span>
\nIs Climate Change Affecting Sea Turtle Hatchlings?<\/span><\/h1>\n