By Michelle Bliss
09-02-10 – Volunteers at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital on Topsail Island are moving vulnerable nests away from Earl's potential fury.
The hospital has more than 100 sea turtle nests this season and only 40% of them have hatched so far.
Hospital founder Jean Beasley says the turtles are more at risk once they do hatch, so volunteers are monitoring nests nearing that milestone.
"If the turtles have left their shells and are in the nest still, there is a strong possibility that they could drown if they are overwashed because they are no longer in the egg, so they're not protected."
Beasley and her team have been moving nests to higher ground up in the dunes so that even if water reaches the hatchlings, they won't remain submerged for long.
Learn more from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Hospital.