This Land, Your Land

Authorities are looking for people who know about the death of a nesting female loggerhead turtle that was hit and killed by an vehicle on the beach at Ocracoke Island last Friday night. The National Park Service says it's the first time a nesting sea turtle has been killed by an ORV at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

(Note: there's a photo of the dead turtle at the first link above. It's not pretty.)

The turtle had crawled out of the ocean and attempted to lay a nest between Ramps 70 and 72. The turtle was hit by an off-road vehicle and dragged approximately 12 feet, causing fatal injuries.

The vehicle that struck and killed the turtle is likely to have been a four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle or pick-up truck, the Park Service says.

Vehicles are prohibited on the beach from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. during turtle nesting season. Loggerhead turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

If you know anything about this incident, call the Dare Community Crime Line at 252-473-3111.