Murphy Island is a small barrier island located between Cedar Island and Cape Island. It is monitored by the SCDNR Marine Turtle Program. The island extends 8.52 km with only 2.59 km of monitored beachfront habitat extending along the Cedar Island facing side, ending at the first creek in flat wash over area. Murphy Island is part of the Santee Coastal Reserve (SCR) Wildlife Management Area which also includes Cedar Island, The Cape, Washo Reserve, and adjacent upland habitats. The island was previously a rice field managed for migratory, breeding and wintering waterfowl, along with wading birds and shore birds. For SCR, sea turtle nesting occurs only on Murphy and Cedar Island.