Current Sea Turtle Nesting Season

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2019 Nesting Season

 

Sea turtle eggs hatch underneath the sand over a period of 1-4 days, making it difficult to predict when they will be ready for release. The sand sinking indicates the eggs are in the process of hatching. NPS Photo.

PROJECTED RELEASE DATES FOR KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE NESTS HELD IN THE INCUBATION FACILITY AT PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE – 2019 (Days 47-51)

Nest Number(s)	Projected release sometime between
163-165	July 26-29
166	July 27-July 310
167	July 29-Aug 1
170-173, 176, 178, 180, 181	July 30-Aug 2
184	Aug 1-4
185	Aug 3-6
186	Aug 4-7
188	Aug 5-8
190	Aug 14-17

Note, not all hatchlings are released at public releases, and public releases do not occur daily. For answers to frequently asked questions and tips for increasing your chances of seeing a hatchling release this summer, check out our page on How to See a Sea Turtle Hatchling Release.

 

A female Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting on the beaches of Padre Island.

NPS photo.

Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas in 2019

Bolivar Peninsula	3
Galveston Island	4
Brazoria County, north of Surfside	0
Surfside Beach	6
Quintana Beach	0
Bryan Beach	0
Brazoria County, North of Sargent Beach	0
Sargent Beach	0
Matagorda Peninsula	3
Matagorda Island	0
San Jose Island	2
Mustang Island	8
Corpus Christi Bay	0
North Padre Island, North of PAIS	8
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	109
South Padre Island	41
Boca Chica Beach	6
Total*	190

 

A large disturbed nest area and tracks are made when loggerhead sea turtles nested on Padre Island. NPS Photo.

Loggerhead nests found in Texas in 2019

Galveston Island	0
Surfside Beach	0
Matagorda Peninsula	0
San Jose Island	1
North Padre Island, North of PAIS	1
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	3
South Padre Island	2
Total*	7

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 Do not cite or quote without permission.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

 

These tracks were left behind by a green sea turtle that nested on Padre Island.

NPS Photo.

Green nests found in Texas in 2019

North Padre Island, North of PAIS	0
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	3
South Padre Island	0
Total*	3

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 Do not cite or quote without permission.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