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 at the park in over a decade.

The nest contained 107 eggs laid by a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is without doubt one of the most endangered sea turtle species on this planet.

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

Once the nest was found, it was brought to an incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore, Marshall said.

“Each egg issues,” Marshall stated. "Loads 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 setting the place they have the most effective chance for survival into adulthood."

The species was virtually misplaced in the Eighties until intensive conservation efforts have been applied on nesting beaches and thru fisheries management, in keeping with NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional capture of non-target species while fishing — continues to be the largest 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 anybody who finds a nest to remain a minimum of 60 ft away and to call the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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