A tiny hatchling crawls down the beach to enter the surf.

At hatchling releases, the National Seashore protects hatchlings from predators such as gulls and crabs.

Seaweed is cleared from the beach during hatchling releases to enable safer and quicker passage of the hatchlings to the water.

After surviving the predators on the beach, once hatchlings reach the water, they must then survive the predators in the Gulf.

A crowd gathers for a hatchling release. Releases are usually held at 6:45 a.m.

A sea turtle patroller begins his day at dawn.

Maybe 1%-5% of hatchlings survive to adulthood.

The journey of a few yards across a beach is a grueling trek for a two-inch-long hatchling.

Although hatched in clutches of around 100 or more eggs, so far as is known, sea turtles lead solitary lives.

The average size of a sea turtle hatchling can be seen in this ranger's hand.

A hatchling faces into the rising sun and an uncertain future as he struggles across the beach to make his first contact with the Gulf.

An adult Kemp's ridley may reach up to around 100 lbs. (45 kg) in weight.

Hatchlings are lined up facing the sun at releases.

Sea turtle patrollers may spend from 5 to 10 hours per day on patrol and cover from 45 to 90 miles of beach.

The Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Division has developed a Nesting Sea Turtles Alert flag.