The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 was devastating for ocean wildlife along the Gulf of Mexico, but particularly for sea turtle populations, which were already threatened.

The oil coated the turtles' bodies, restricting their movement and making them vulnerable to predators. Scientists estimate that the spill killed between 4,900-7,600 large juvenile and adult sea turtles, between 56,000-166,000 small juvenile sea turtles and around 35,000 hatchlings.

In the years following the spill, BP began the process of providing funding to restore resources that were damaged as a result of the spill. Several Texas projects received funding, including the Sea Turtle Early Restoration Project, an effort managed collaboratively by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas General Land Office, Department of the Interior, and other Federal Trustees, allowing them to fund sea turtle activities run by entities such as the Gladys Porter Zoo and Texas A&M at Galveston.

TPWD took the lead on the project, distributing funding and overseeing the decade-long initiative, which is now entering its tenth year. By protecting turtle nests, rescuing injured animals and more, Texas is working hard to support sea turtles, one of our state treasures.

Giving Baby Turtles a Boost

One essential component of the Sea Turtle Early Restoration Project is finding the nests of Kemp's ridleys — the most endangered species of sea turtle in the world — and ensuring that the eggs successfully hatch and the baby turtles make it to the ocean.

The turtles nest on beaches in Texas and Mexico. TPWD's partner, Gladys Porter Zoo, works with a conservation organization in Mexico to find nests, monitor the location of nests that are left in place or dig up the eggs and relocate them to nesting corrals to ensure a safe spot for the eggs to incubate. In Texas, nests located by other sea turtle entities are also moved and protected primarily at an incubation facility. These activities help ensure the babies make it safely into the ocean once they hatch.

“Every egg matters,” says Chris Marshall, the director of the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research at Texas A&M University at Galveston. “We've done some research here that shows that if we left the nests in place, that would all be inundated by high tides, and we would lose every nest.”

Kemp's ridleys are on the rebound thanks to the U.S. and Mexico's strict laws protecting their nesting beaches and reducing accidental capture in fishing gear. The number of nesting females reached a low of around 250 in 1985 but increased to around 8,000 in 2022.

“Knowing that many more sea turtles are going to be hatched as part of our work is really great,” says Heather Podlipny, an assessment and restoration biologist at TPWD. “We are proud that we can partake in meaningful actions for sea turtle restoration in Texas.”

Rescue and Rehab

Another aspect of the Early Restoration Project involves rescuing turtles that are sick, injured or cold-stunned. Marshall and his team at the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research manage the Upper Texas Coast Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, answer a hotline that people can call when they find a turtle that needs help (866-TURTLE5), and operate a sea turtle hospital.

Marshall also runs a team of volunteers that can respond when larger events such as winter storms happen. “Turtles are funny,” Marshall says. “They like to really make your life inconvenient. They like to have cold stun strands on Valentine's Day, Christmas Eve.”

For instance, on December 23 of 2022, a cold front dropped sea temperatures.Many turtles became cold-stunned and temporarily unable to swim. Marshall and his dedicated team of volunteers trudged through icy marshes, rescuing stranded turtles and transporting them back to the hospital where they could be slowly warmed up. “We just got it done, and then we cleaned up and went and had eggnog and dinner with family afterwards,” he says.

Marshall hopes to expand the facilities at the Gulf Center, opening a larger turtle hospital that can double as a tourist attraction. “It'll be the only place to come see sea turtles in about a 200-mile radius,” he says.

Preventing Fishing-related Fatalities

The third arm of the project is implemented by TPWD's Law Enforcement Division. Sea turtles can be caught as bycatch by shrimpers, and part of TPWD's sea turtle work involves patrolling the Gulf to make sure shrimpers are using equipment that is safe for sea turtles.

To prevent turtle bycatch, shrimpers must install turtle excluder devices, known as TEDs. These devices use metal bars and mesh in the neck of the trawl nets that allow shrimp to pass through, but not turtles and other larger marine creatures, which are allowed to escape through a flap in the mesh. Under joint agreements with various federal partners, Texas game wardens routinely conduct patrols to inspect and measure TEDs on boats operating in our waters.

“The Sea Turtle Early Restoration Project supports our ongoing efforts to ensure that TEDs are accurately installed and free from damage that might render them ineffective,” says Les Casterline, assistant commander of fisheries enforcement. “Proper functionality of TEDs is important because any malfunction or improper setup can lead to their failure in excluding turtles, jeopardizing their safety. These patrols significantly contribute to the conservation of sea turtles and protect them from these dangers.”

How to Get Involved

If you want to help out TPWD and partners' sea turtle work, you can volunteer at or donate to the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research or the Gladys Porter Zoo. There are also other volunteer opportunities along the Gulf Coast at organizations such as Texas Sealife Center, Padre Island National Seashore and Sea Turtle Inc. to assist with sea turtle-related activities.

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