Loggerhead turtle nesting in North Carolina dies after being hit by vehicle on beach

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Watch as this rehabilitated sea turtle returns to the ocean — it's 'turt-ally' awesome!

A loggerhead sea turtle received a heartfelt sendoff after completing its rehabilitation. Sweet Potato, affectionately nicknamed "Tater," was rescued after a flipper injury, rehabilitated and released by the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Florida.

A nesting loggerhead turtle on the beach in Carova, North Carolina was hit by a vehicle during the early morning hours on Sunday, and later died.

The Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.) said in a press release on Facebook that the turtle was spotted by a law enforcement officer who was patrolling the beach in Currituck County.

The beaches in the area are accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles. In fact, the only way to get to Carova is by way of an off-road vehicle, as no paved roads lead to the northernmost community in the Outer Banks, located just south of the Virginia-North Carolina border, and nearly two miles from Corolla, North Carolina.

After locating the injured sea turtle, N.E.S.T. received a call on its hotline regarding a turtle with crush injuries to its shell.

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A loggerhead turtle that nested in Carova, North Carolina was struck by a vehicle driving on the beach on Sunday, and later died. (N.E.S.T.)

Volunteers went to the scene and transported the loggerhead to the STAR Center located at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.

As the turtle was being relocated, additional N.E.S.T. volunteers found over 100 freshly laid eggs at the turtle’s nest.

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An injured turtle found in the Outer Banks on Sunday was struck by a vehicle before being transported to the North Carolina Aquarium in Roanoke Island, where it later died. (N.E.S.T.)

Late last week, there was a close call along the beach, where an outer perimeter setup to protect a nest was run over by a vehicle, the press release noted.

The perimeters are set up with reflective tape, and in that case, the nest was safe.

Still, N.E.S.T. reminds drivers to use caution when driving on the beach at night, as nesting and hatching season goes through September.

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They ask that off-road enthusiasts follow posted speed limits, give wildlife space and scan the beach in front of the vehicle carefully.

N.E.S.T. president Tony Parisi told Fox News Digital he was not looking to have beach driving outlawed, especially for those who live in Carova and rely on beach driving to and from their home. Instead, he just wants people to be aware of the nests and to use caution.

"If driving up there, just be careful," he said, adding that the turtle nests are hard to see at night, when they typically nest. "We just want people to be careful."

In this June 30, 2019, photo provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, a loggerhead sea turtle returns to the ocean after nesting on Ossabaw Island, Georgia. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources via AP, File)

Sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act. Anyone found guilty of destructing nests or injuring sea turtles could be fined up to $25,000 and spend up to six months in prison.

According to the organization’s website, N.E.S.T. is a non-profit organization that was established in 1995 and is operated by volunteers dedicated to the protection and conservation of sea turtles in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, from South Nags Head to the Virginia state line.

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Members of the organization patrol the beaches on ATVs, looking for and verifying seat turtle nests, then protecting those nests and the hatchlings born there. The organization also rescues stranded sea turtles and assists in their rehabilitation, and educates and supports sea turtle research.