The critically endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle return to the beaches of Texas and Mexico in April, May and June every year to lay their nests. Watch this page for daily updates direct from Carole Allen, our Gulf of Mexico Director, and sea turtle biologist Donna Shaver of Padre Island National Seashore.

KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON 2011 - TEXAS

The first nest on the Texas coast was laid at Padre Island National Seashore on April 7, 2011. The largest number of Kemp's ridley nests found on a single day since record keeping began in the 1980s was 32 nests on May 18.  The record for nestings during one season was broken on July 1 when the 199th nest was found on Galveston Island   Nestings will continue to be updated as the season progresses.


KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
So far this year, 199 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas
coast including (north to south in state):
Bolivar Peninsula 0
Galveston Island 15
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 3
Quintana Beach 0
Bryan Beach 1
Matagorda Peninsula 2
Matagorda Island 2
San Jose Island 2
Mustang Island 5
North Padre Island 126, including 117 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 39
Boca Chica Beach 3

GREEN TURTLE
So far this year, 5 green turtle nests have been confirmed on the Texas
coast, all at Padre Island National Seashore.  This ties the most green
turtle nests documented on the Texas coast in a single year, since
consistent record keeping began in the early 1980s.  However, there has
been limited patrol effort to detect green turtle nesting in Texas over the
years.  Green turtle nests have been recorded in Texas through
mid-September.

Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without
permission. Contact Donna Shaver for further information.