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.
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.

2020 Nesting Season

The 2020 Kemp’s ridley hatchling season ended on Saturday, August 8, 2020. Please check back in April 2021 for projected hatchling release dates for the next season. We greatly appreciate your support and interest in our work and look forward to resuming public releases in the future. We hope you’ll be able to join us in 2021, as conditions and guidance allows. Please check this page and our Facebook Page for information on upcoming hatchling releases.

Note: not all hatchling releases are public and public releases do not occur every day. For answers to frequently asked questions and tips for increasing your chances of seeing a hatchling release this summer, check out our page on Hatchling Releases.

 
A Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting in the sand next to green vegetation with the ocean in the background.
A female Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting on the beaches of Padre Island.

NPS photo.

Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas in 2020

Bolivar Peninsula 0
Galveston Island 1
Brazoria County, north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 6
Quintana Beach 0
Bryan Beach 1
Brazoria County, North of Sargent Beach 0
Sargent Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 1
Matagorda Island 0
San Jose Island 18
Mustang Island 13
Corpus Christi Bay 0
North Padre Island, North of PAIS 7
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) 136
South Padre Island 72
Boca Chica Beach 6
Total* 262
 
Loggerhead sea turtle hatchling on the beach next to green vegetation with a UTV and the ocean in the background.
A loggerhead sea turtle nesting at Padre Island.

NPS Photo.

Loggerhead nests found in Texas in 2020

Brazoria County, N. of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Mustang Island 0
North Padre Island, North of PAIS 0
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) 2
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 Do not cite or quote without permission.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.
 
The beach at sunrise with Green sea turtle tracks leaving and entering the ocean.
Tracks left by a green sea turtle that nested at Padre Island.

NPS Photo.

Green nests found in Texas in 2020

Mustang Island 1
North Padre Island, North of PAIS 1
Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) 27
South Padre Island 7
Total* 36
* Data presented here are preliminary. Do not cite or quote without permission. Contact Dr. Donna Shaver for further information.
 
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Last updated: September 17, 2020

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Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 181300
Corpus Christi, TX 78480

Phone:

(361) 949-8068
This is the primary phone number for the Malaquite Visitor Center at Padre Island National Seashore.

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