Endangered sea turtle nest found at Galveston Island State Park for the primary 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 at 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 on this planet.

This was the first nest found 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 Heart for Sea Turtle Analysis.

As soon as the nest was found, it was brought to an incubation facility at Padre Island Nationwide Seashore, Marshall said.

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

The species was almost lost in the Nineteen Eighties till intensive conservation efforts were implemented on nesting seashores and thru fisheries administration, in response to NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional seize of non-target species while fishing — continues to be the biggest threat going through Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall mentioned the typical 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 very least 60 feet away and to name the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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