Summer is in full swing on the North Carolina coast, which means turtle nesting season is, too. 

The season is already looking promising on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where two leatherback sea turtle nests were found a week apart. 

The first was found on June 19 on Avon Beach, and the second was found exactly a week later on Ocracoke Island. 

The national park said this is the first time two nests have been found in one season, since they started tracking over 20 years ago. 

Leatherback nests are already a rare sight on North Carolina beaches, which makes last month's finds all the more important. 

Because female leatherback turtles will typically lay between 4 and 8 clutches per season and nest roughly every ten days, officials say the two nests are likely from the same turtle. 

Leatherback sea turtles are the largest in the world, weighing up to 1,500 pounds and growing up to 6 feet long. They’re the only sea turtle species that doesn’t have a hard shell, and were named for the tough, rubbery skin they have instead. 

The species is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates their population has declined around 40 percent since the 1980s. 

You should never disturb any sea turtle nests you find on the beach. If you live in Cape Hatteras and spot an unmarked nest or see any sea turtle activity, be sure to report your findings to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore by calling 252-216-6892.