VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A leatherback sea turtle has laid eggs at the Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, in what the Natural Resources Team says is the first time ever recorded in Virginia, according to a social post from NAS Oceana.
Leatherback sea turtles are the largest living species of turtle in the world, according to NOAA, growing up to 2,000 pounds and 6 feet long. They can swim thousands of miles per year and dive as deep as 4,000 feet.
It typically nests in tropical or subtropical beaches, which makes the Virginia nesting so unique.
Once the clutch of eggs was discovered by the Oceana team, they fenced it off to protect the site.
NAS Oceana said in a social media post that the Virginia Aquarium, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge worked with them.
"This milestone serves as both a vital training opportunity and a testament to the power of teamwork," they wrote. "We are proud to work alongside dedicated partners to protect and preserve the wildlife that calls our installation home."
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