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

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

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

This was the primary nest found at Galveston Island State Park since 2012, based on Christopher Marshall, a professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M and director for the Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Analysis.

As soon as the nest was found, it was dropped at an incubation facility at Padre Island Nationwide Seashore, Marshall mentioned.

“Each egg matters,” Marshall stated. "Numerous nesting habitat for the Kemp's Ridley has been lost to storms, excessive tide and predation, which is why it is very important transport these nests to an surroundings where they have the very best likelihood for survival into adulthood."

The species was nearly misplaced within the Nineteen Eighties until intensive conservation efforts have been applied on nesting seashores and through fisheries administration, in accordance with NOAA Fisheries. Bycatch — the intentional seize of non-target species while fishing — continues to be the biggest threat 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 anyone who finds a nest to remain at least 60 feet away and to call the Sea Turtle hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5.

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