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 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 likely 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 accordance with Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Middle for Sea Turtle Analysis.

As soon as the nest was discovered, it was brought to an incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore, Marshall mentioned.

“Each egg issues,” Marshall said. "Lots 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 best likelihood for survival into maturity."

The species was nearly misplaced in the Nineteen Eighties until intensive conservation efforts have been applied on nesting beaches and through fisheries management, in keeping with NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional capture of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the largest threat dealing with Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall mentioned 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 toes away and to call the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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