Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

Before sunrise, Bob Miller uses his hands to carefully excavate a Loggerhead sea turtle nest at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on August 9, 2010. Mr. Miller is the Sea Turtle Program Manager of the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron. The 112 eggs below will be placed in Styrofoam coolers with the white sand. Because of the critical attachment of the embryo to the inside of the egg shell, the eggs must be gently transported to the Atlantic coast where they will be allowed to hatch in the cooler. Wildlife technicians will then release them into the ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

Dustin Varble uses a counter to help keep track of the number of Loggerhead sea turtle eggs removed from a nest on the beach at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. More than 300 eggs have been transported to Cape Canaveral, Fla., in hopes of diverting the hatchlings from possible life-threatening exposure to the oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Varble is a biologist with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron at Eglin AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

The honor of lifting the last of 112 Loggerhead sea turtle eggs went to Bob Miller, who carefully packing the eggs into Styrofoam coolers lined with the white sand at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on August 9, 2010. Mr. Miller is the Sea Turtle Program Manager with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron. Because of the critical attachment of the embryo to the inside of the egg shell, the eggs must be gently lifted with out tilting or rotating, the egg. With equal care the transportation to the Atlantic coast is equally critical. At a controlled climate facility, they will be allowed to hatch in the cooler. Wildlife technicians will then release them into the ocean. Bob Miller, a retired Navy EOD diver, an endangered species biologist has for the past 10 years been the Sea Turtle program manager and primary permittee at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He has also served as the program manager for the Barrier Island and Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Act, Section 7 Consultation; Coastal Zone Management Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Coastal Barrier Resources Act. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

The honor of lifting the last of 112 Loggerhead sea turtle eggs went to Bob Miller, who carefully packing the eggs into Styrofoam coolers lined with the white sand at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on August 9, 2010. Mr. Miller is the Sea Turtle Program Manager with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron. Because of the critical attachment of the embryo to the inside of the egg shell, the eggs must be gently lifted with out tilting or rotating, the egg. With equal care the transportation to the Atlantic coast is equally critical. At a controlled climate facility, they will be allowed to hatch in the cooler. Wildlife technicians will then release them into the ocean. Bob Miller, a retired Navy EOD diver, an endangered species biologist has for the past 10 years been the Sea Turtle program manager and primary permittee at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. He has also served as the program manager for the Barrier Island and Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Act, Section 7 Consultation; Coastal Zone Management Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Coastal Barrier Resources Act. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

Kathy Gault (right) and Bob Miller (left) must walk in step and use a sedan style lifting rig to keep the ride of a Styrofoam cooler containing more than 55 Loggerhead sea turtle eggs, smooth and level as they walk in step across the pristine white sand beach, to their vehicles at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on August 9, 2010. Mr. Miller and Ms. Gault are endangered species biologists with the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron. The cooler is riding on elastic bands of a shipping frame. Because of the critical attachment of the embryo to the inside of the eggshell, the eggs must be gently moved. With equal care the transportation to the Atlantic coast is critical and gentle. At a controlled climate facility, they will be allowed to hatch in the cooler. Wildlife technicians will then release them into the ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)

Turtle Eggs avoid Gulf Oil Danger

After 112 Loggerhead sea turtle eggs were excavated from the beach at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on August 9, 2010, the nest hole was filled with sand. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lance Cheung)