One call can save a sea turtle's life

Hello, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Sea turtles in South Carolina have many obstacles to a long life. A few suffer from ingesting plastics. Sea turtles hit by boats usually die -- about a third of known harmed turtles die that way. Another group get caught by fisherman; if you catch a turtle, don’t cut the line and let it go. Try to net that animal or get it to shore, contain it, and call the SC Department of Natural Resources hotline. A live person answers the phone twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Since sea turtles are cold-blooded, they can die this time of year in frigid waters. If you find a turtle out of water, don’t put it back. Call that hotline. And call them if you, sadly, find a dead turtle.