Endangered sea turtle nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park for the primary time in a decade – Houston Public Media

A nest of endangered sea turtle eggs was found on the beachside of Galveston Island State Park final week — the first nest discovered on the park in over a decade.

The nest contained 107 eggs laid by a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, which is likely one of the most endangered sea turtle species on this planet.

This was the first nest discovered at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, in keeping with Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Heart for Sea Turtle Research.

Once the nest was found, it was brought to an incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore, Marshall mentioned.

“Every egg issues,” Marshall said. "Numerous nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been misplaced to storms, high tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an environment the place they've the best chance for survival into adulthood."

The species was almost lost within the Nineteen Eighties till intensive conservation efforts have been carried out on nesting seashores and thru fisheries management, in response to NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional seize of non-target species whereas fishing — continues to be the biggest risk facing Kemp's Ridley sea turtles.

Marshall stated the everyday nesting season for the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle runs between April 1 and July 15. He urged anybody who finds a nest to stay at least 60 feet away and to name the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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