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 found on the beachside of Galveston Island State Park last week — the primary nest found on the park in over a decade.

The nest contained 107 eggs laid by a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is one of the most endangered sea turtle species on the earth.

This was the first nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, in response to Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Middle for Sea Turtle Research.

As soon as the nest was found, it was dropped at an incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore, Marshall said.

“Each egg issues,” Marshall mentioned. "Loads of nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been misplaced to storms, high tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an environment the place they have the very best probability for survival into adulthood."

The species was virtually misplaced within the Eighties until intensive conservation efforts had been implemented on nesting beaches and through fisheries management, based on NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional seize of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the most important menace dealing with Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall said 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 name the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

Fill out the form below to subscribe our new day by day editorial e-newsletter from the HPM Newsroom.