Endangered sea turtle nest found at Galveston Island State Park for the first time in a decade – Houston Public Media

A nest of endangered sea turtle eggs was discovered on the beachside of Galveston Island State Park last week — the first nest found on the park in over a decade.

The nest contained 107 eggs laid by a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is among the most endangered sea turtle species in the world.

This was the first nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, based on Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Analysis.

Once the nest was found, it was dropped at an incubation facility at Padre Island Nationwide Seashore, Marshall mentioned.

“Every egg matters,” Marshall stated. "Plenty of nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been lost to storms, excessive tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an surroundings the place they have the perfect chance for survival into adulthood."

The species was virtually lost in the Eighties until intensive conservation efforts were carried out on nesting beaches and through fisheries administration, in response to NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional seize of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the biggest threat going through Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall stated the everyday nesting season for the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle runs between April 1 and July 15. He urged anyone who finds a nest to remain a minimum of 60 toes away and to call the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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