Sea Turtle Nesting Season

A styrofoam box filled with sand. The sand surface has small curved cracks in it.
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.

 

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2023 Nesting Season

The 2023 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.) 

Nest totals for the previous nesting season are listed below. Nest totals for 2023 will be updated at the end of the nesting season. 

 

 
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 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
 
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 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 sand dunes in the early morning.
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

Last updated: June 8, 2023

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 181300
Corpus Christi, TX 78480

Phone:

(361) 949-8068
Malaquite Visitor Center information line.

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