Wildlife

Sea Turtle Nest Found at Galveston Island State Park

Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nest of 107 eggs was discovered in the dunes of Galveston Island State Park in May.

Why is that special?

Kemp’s ridleys are rare. The species was almost lost in the 1980s, and the nest on Galveston Island is the first of its kind found at the park since 2012. It’s one of only three nests found there since the Upper Texas Coast Sea Turtle Nest Patrols began keeping records.

The nest was transported to the incubation facility at Padre Island National Seashore to assure a higher survival rate.

“The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is one of the most endangered sea turtle species in the world, so every egg matters,” says Christopher Marshall, director of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research. “A lot of nesting habitat has been lost to storms, high tide and predation, which is why it is important to transport these nests to an environment where they have the best chance for survival into adulthood.”