Current Sea Turtle 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.

 

Quick links

• Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles
• Hatchling Releases
• How to See a Sea Turtle
• Report a Nesting or Stranded Turtle
• What Does the Yellow Turtle Flag Mean?
• Volunteer With Us!

2022 Nesting Season

The 2022 Kemp’s ridley nesting season has started! When the eggs begin hatching, public releases will be held. For information about public hatching releases, please call the Hatchling Hotline at 361-949-7163. (Please note that not all hatchling releases are public and public releases do not occur every day.) 

 

 

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

NPS photo.

Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas in 2022

Bolivar Peninsula	3
Galveston Island	4
Brazoria County, north of Surfside	4
Surfside Beach	0
Quintana Beach	1
Bryan Beach	0
Brazoria County, North of Sargent Beach	0
Sargent Beach	0
Matagorda Peninsula	4
Magnolia Beach	1
San Jose Island	8
Mustang Island	15
Corpus Christi Bay	0
North Padre Island, North of PAIS	16
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	132
South Padre Island	78
Boca Chica Beach	18
Total*	284

 

A loggerhead sea turtle nesting at Padre Island National Seashore.

NPS Photo.

Loggerhead nests found in Texas in 2022

Brazoria County, N. of Surfside	1
Boca Chica Beach	1
Matagorda Peninsula	1
Mustang Island	0
North Padre Island, North of PAIS	0
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	2
South Padre Island	1
Total*	6

 

A green sea turtle nesting at the base of the dunes at Padre Island National Seashore.

NPS Photo.

Green nests found in Texas in 2022

Mustang Island	1
North Padre Island, North of PAIS	8
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS)	20
South Padre Island	6
Total*	35

 

LEARN MORE
Main Sea Turtle Page
Division of Sea Turtle Sciences and Recovery
Volunteer With Us!