Post by Jesse Schneirla on May 1, 2011 17:48:48 GMT -5
Night driving banned on Hatteras seashore as of Sunday
By Erin James
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 29, 2011
HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C.
Seasonal night-driving restrictions will go into effect on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore next week, the National Park Service announced today.
As of Sunday, all seashore beaches are closed to off-road vehicles between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Enforcement will begin at midnight Sunday, and the regulation will remain in effect until Nov. 15.
The night-driving ban aims to protect three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles that nest on the beaches. Between May and September, female turtles crawl onto beaches to deposit their eggs into sand-covered cavities. Once laid, the eggs incubate for 50 to 70 days before the hatchlings emerge and make their way to the ocean, according to a park news release.
Nests and hatchlings are susceptible to human disturbance, particularly artificial lights.
Between 10 and 15 percent of the turtle nests laid in North Carolina are found on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Violators of the night-driving restrictions face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.
By Erin James
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 29, 2011
HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C.
Seasonal night-driving restrictions will go into effect on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore next week, the National Park Service announced today.
As of Sunday, all seashore beaches are closed to off-road vehicles between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Enforcement will begin at midnight Sunday, and the regulation will remain in effect until Nov. 15.
The night-driving ban aims to protect three species of threatened or endangered sea turtles that nest on the beaches. Between May and September, female turtles crawl onto beaches to deposit their eggs into sand-covered cavities. Once laid, the eggs incubate for 50 to 70 days before the hatchlings emerge and make their way to the ocean, according to a park news release.
Nests and hatchlings are susceptible to human disturbance, particularly artificial lights.
Between 10 and 15 percent of the turtle nests laid in North Carolina are found on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Violators of the night-driving restrictions face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.