Fifty-one Kemp’s ridley nests, containing 4,805 eggs, were found on Texas beaches during 2005. Twenty-nine were located on North Padre Island [including 28 at Padre Island National Seashore (NS)], seven on Galveston Island, one on Matagorda Peninsula, three on Matagorda Island, two on Mustang Island, six on South Padre Island, and three on Boca Chica Beach.  Only three other Kemp’s ridley nests have been confirmed in the United States during 2005, including one in Georgia and two in Florida.

 More Kemp’s ridley nests were found in Texas during 2005 than in any other year since record keeping began.  The previous record of 42 nests was set in 2004.  Additionally, the 28 nests found at Padre Island NS exceed the previous record of 23 nests found there in 2002.

 Eggs from 41 of the 51 Kemp’s ridley nests were collected for protected incubation in the turtle laboratory at Padre Island NS. From these 41 nests, 2,647 Kemp’s ridley hatchlings were released at the park between June and August.  An additional 87 hatchlings were released from a nest that went undetected at egg laying, but was found hatching in the dunes at Padre Island National Seashore.  An additional 765 Kemp’s ridley hatchlings from 9 nests were released on South Padre Island.

 Kemp's ridley sea turtles are the most endangered sea turtles in the world. 

 The species' primary nesting site is near Rancho Nuevo in Mexico. During the 1940's, an estimated 40,000 female Kemp's ridleys nested on this Mexican beach. During the 1970’s, the number of nesting Kemp's ridley turtles fell below one thousand. Measures to protect nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles and their eggs in Mexico began in 1966 and continue today.

 Kemp’s ridley is a native nester at Padre Island NS, with nesting records dating back to the 1940’s.

 In 1978, to help preserve the species, an international, multi-agency, experimental project started at Padre Island NS, to re-establish a secondary nesting colony of Kemp's ridley turtles. From 1978-1988, 22,507 eggs were transported from Mexico to Padre Island NS for incubation and imprinting. After exposure to the Padre Island NS sand and surf, most hatchlings from this effort were reared at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Laboratory for 9-11 months and released into the Gulf of Mexico. 

 Efforts to detect nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles have been underway at Padre Island NS since 1986. It is vital to locate nest sites so that the nesting turtles and their eggs are available for study and protection. Components of the detection effort have included beach patrols and public education.  Other groups also led detection efforts in other areas of the state.  Padre Island NS staff provided training, technical assistance, and/or guidance to those other programs.

 Documentation to date shows that 13 different individuals from this project returned to nest in Texas, with a total of 27 nests recorded from these turtles. Additionally, 13 different individuals that had been taken directly from Mexico as hatchings between 1989 and 1993 and head-started for 9-11 months at the NMFS Laboratory have also been recorded producing a total of 15 nests in Texas.

 More confirmed Kemp’s ridley nests have been found at Padre Island NS than at any other single location in the United States, making it the most important nesting beach for this species in the United States.

 Kemp’s ridley turtles nesting at Padre Island NS include individuals not affiliated with the experimental imprinting or head-starting projects (i.e. wild turtles), head-started individuals from the experimental imprinting project, and head-started individuals that had been taken directly from Mexico as hatchlings.

 Overall, the number of Kemp’s ridley nests found on the Texas coast has increased during the last decade (1995 - 4 nests, 1996 - 6 nests, 1997 - 9 nests, 1998 - 13 nests, 1999 - 16 nests, 2000 - 12 nests, 2001 - 8 nests, 2002 – 38 nests, 2003 – 19 nests, 2004 - 42 nests, 2005 - 51 nests).

 Hatchlings are about the size of a silver dollar and are black on top and bottom.

Adult Kemp's ridley turtles are olive green on top and creamy white on the bottom, weigh 80 to 100 pounds, and are approximately 2-1/2 feet in length.

Kemp's ridley turtles sexually mature in 10 to 15 years, and seek nesting sites at that time.

Satellite transmitters were attached to the first four Kemp’s ridley turtles found nesting at the National Seashore during 2005.  This study was initiated in 1997 and information from it has been used to predict where and when the turtles might nest again within the nesting season and to aid with nest detection efforts.  Another objective of this study is to gather information on where the turtles go between and after nesting.

Various other studies of the nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles and their eggs continued.

In addition to the 51 Kemp’s ridley nests located on the Texas coast during 2005, two loggerhead and four green sea turtle nests were documented.  One of the loggerhead and all four green turtle nests were found at Padre Island NS and those eggs were transported to the incubation facility there for protected care.  The eggs from the loggerhead nest found on South Padre Island were transferred to a protective corral there.

The public was invited to attend 10 of the hatchling releases held at the National Seashore during 2005 and overall over 2,000 people attended. 

 Extensive media coverage of the project continued during 2005.  On July 29, the project was featured on an ABC World News Tonight segment in which Dr. Donna Shaver, Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, was named the “Person of the Week”.

Partners cooperating in sea turtle nest detection and egg incubation efforts in Texas include (in alphabetical order) Forever Resorts, Gladys Porter Zoo, HEART/Sea Turtle Restoration Project, H-E-B Food Stores, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, NOAA Fisheries, Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Seaspace, Sea Turtle, Inc., Shell Oil Company, Texas A&M University, Texas General Land Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Unilever, University of Texas, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Western National Parks Association, and others.

Community support of the Kemp’s ridley project reached unprecedented levels during 2005.  Nearly 140 volunteers participated in the patrol program at Padre Island NS.  The Beautify Corpus Christi Association, other community groups, and local representatives spear-headed and funded three significant actions focusing on Kemp’s ridley and the importance of this area to this endangered species.  On March 16, the 9-foot bronze Kemp’s ridley sculpture entitled “Journey’s End” by world famous artist Kent Ullberg was unveiled in Ullberg Park on Padre Island.  In the summer, the State of Texas passed a Resolution naming North Padre Island and Padre Island National Seashore the Sea Turtle Capital of Texas and stating: “Be it Resolved that North Padre Island be recognized for its vital role in the conservation of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico and that all those involved in that important work be extended sincere best wishes for continued success in their endeavors”.  Lastly, in November, four 15’x5’ sign bridge panels at the entrance to North Padre Island on the John F. Kennedy Causeway featuring Kemp’s ridley were painted, providing a lovely gateway to the island and special reminder to residents and visitors that Kemp’s ridleys are important inhabitants here.