Endangered sea turtle nest discovered 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 final week — the first nest discovered at the park in over a decade.

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

This was the first nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, in line with 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 discovered, it was brought to an incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore, Marshall said.

“Every egg matters,” Marshall stated. "A variety of nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been lost to storms, high tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an atmosphere the place they have the perfect likelihood for survival into maturity."

The species was almost lost within the 1980s until intensive conservation efforts were implemented on nesting beaches and thru fisheries administration, in response to NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional capture of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the largest risk 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 at the least 60 ft away and to name the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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