Sea Turtle Blog

Kemp's Ridley License Plates

Carole Allen of HEART is spearheading an effort to get a Texas License Plate with a Sea Turtle on it - preferably a Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle.

The license plate would raise awareness of Kemp' Ridleys and their history with the public and help improve their odds of recovery.

The cost to get the plate designed, produced, and made available is $8,000.

The State of Texas would have to approve it, but they probably would.

Would you like to contribute to this effort?

Please contact:

Carole Allen, Gulf Office Director

Sea Turtle Restoration Project/HEART

P.O. Box 681231

Houston, Texas 77268-1231

Phone/FAX 281-444-6204

www.ridleyturtles.org

www.seaturtles.org

Kemp's Ridley Nest Count Reaches 161

Yesterday 2 Kemp's Ridley nests were found on the Texas coast, both on
South Padre Island.

So far this year, 161 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast.

The 161 figure exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's Ridley nests found in Texas set during 2007.  This marks the fifth consecutive year that
record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since
record keeping began in 1980.

First Leatherback Nest Recorded on the Texas Coast in Decades

This morning an update was sent that a green turtle nest was located at

Padre Island National Seashore today.  This was based on the report from
the turtle patroller, who found the wide tracks and a few eggs at the
surface (so we knew that we had a nest). 

Upon further investigation, the identification has been changed from green turtle to leatherback turtle. Padre Island National Seashore Biologist Cynthia Rubio, who has seen leatherback nests in Mexico, confirmed that it is a leatherback nest.  The tracks measured 203 cm wide and the egg diameter was 5.7 cm, both much larger than recorded for green turtles.

This is the first Leatherback nest recorded on the Texas coast since the 1930's.  The only other leatherback nests that have been recorded on the Texas coast were from the 1920's and 1930's at what was later designated as Padre Island National Seashore. 
The historic Leatherback nests were from the Little and Big Shell area of the National Seashore and this nest was located in that vicinity.

KEMP'S RIDLEYS MAKE HISTORY IN TEXAS!

On June 3, 23 Kemp's ridley nests were found on the Texas coast including 1 on Galveston Island, 3 on Matagorda Island, 1 on Mustang Island, 1 on North Padre Island north of Padre Island National Seashore, 12 at Padre Island National Seashore, and 5 on South Padre Island. The 23 is the most Kemp's ridley nests documented on the Texas coast in a single day since record keeping began in 1980.

So far this year, 148 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state): Bolivar Peninsula 4 Galveston Island 5 Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1 Surfside Beach 1, Matagorda Island 10 San Jose Island 3 Mustang Island 5 North Padre Island 81, including 71 at Padre Island National Seashore South Padre Island 31 Boca Chica Beach 7

The 148 nest total exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas set during 2007. This marks the fifth consecutive year that record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since record keeping began in 1980. This endangered sea turtle is a resident of the Gulf of Mexico and was near extinction in the mid 80s.

 

This is the 30th anniversary year of a cooperative program between the Republic of Mexico and the United States to prevent their extinction which began in 1978. The US federal requirement to place Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on shrimp trawls to allow sea turtles to escape drowning combined with protection of the beaches in Mexico and the US and a vigorous program of releasing hatchlings is credited with the increased population of ridleys.

 

“After working to protect the Kemp’s ridleys for 26 years, I can tell you this is a very happy day,” said Carole Allen, Gulf Office Director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project and founder of HEART (Help Endangered Animals-Ridley Turtles) in 1982. “There are many heroes and heroines to thank, but thousands of school children, many now adults, should also be thanked for writing letters to the government asking for protection for sea turtles.”

124 Kemp's Ridley Nests So Far in 2008

On May 30, three Kemp's ridley nests were found on the Texas coast
including one on Galveston Island and two on Bolivar Peninsula.

On May 31, four Kemp's Ridley nests were found on the Texas coast
including one on Galveston Island and three at Padre Island National
Seashore.

On June 1, eight Kemp's ridley nests were found on the Texas coast
including five at Padre Island National Seashore, two on San Jose
Island, and one on South Padre Island.  Some of these were likely from
the day before.

So far this year, 124 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state): Bolivar Peninsula 4
Galveston Island 4 Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1 Surfside
Beach 1 Bryan Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 7 San Jose

Island 3 Mustang Island 4 North Padre Island 68, including 59 at Padre
Island National Seashore South Padre Island 26 Boca Chica Beach 6

The Great Turtle Race is on!

The Great Turtle Race is on!  Starting Monday June 2nd, race fans will have a chance to choose a favorite turtle to cheer during the race at http://www.greatturtlerace.com.  11 leatherbacks have been equipped with satellite tags and are “racing” toward the International Dateline from nesting beaches in Indonesia and feeding areas along the U.S. West Coast.  The position of the turtles updates every 10 minutes!

Throughout the race, viewers can follow each turtle’s journey across the Pacific and learn about the obstacles it will face along the way—fishing lines and nets, plastic bags that look like jellyfish (leatherbacks’ primary food source), and many other human-related hazards.  Activities for fans include a chance to try to pick the winning turtle, sea turtle educational curriculum for teachers, interactive animations of a leatherback’s life, and other opportunities to learn more about these amazing creatures.

Carole

So far this year, 109 Kemp's ridley nests have been found.

Yesterday 3 Kemp's ridley nests were located on the Texas coast, all on
Matagorda Island.  These nests were 1 to perhaps 2 days old when found.

So far this year, 109 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the
Texas coast including (north to south in state):

Bolivar Peninsula 2
Galveston Island 2
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 1
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Matagorda Island 7
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 4
North Padre Island 60, including 51 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 25
Boca Chica Beach 6

The Kemp's Ridley Nest Count has broken 100!

So far this year, 106 Kemp's Ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state):

Bolivar Peninsula 2
Galveston Island 2
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 1
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Matagorda Island 4
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 4
North Padre Island 60, including 51 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 25
Boca Chica Beach 6

Nest Count is 103

In addition to the 7 nests found on the Texas coast yesterday,
a set of Kemp's ridley tracks was located on Matagorda Island, but a nest could not be located initially.  After further investigation today, a nest was located at that site.

Today another Kemp's ridley nest was located on the Texas coast at
Matagorda Island.

So far this year, 103 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state):

Bolivar Peninsula 2
Galveston Island 2
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 1
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Matagorda Island 4
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 4
North Padre Island 57, including 48 at Padre Island National Seashore South Padre Island 25
Boca Chica Beach 6

Nest Count is 81.

Yesterday 3 Kemp's ridley nest were found on the Texas coast including 3
at Padre Island National Seashore.

So far this year, 81 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state):

Bolivar Peninsula 2
Galveston Island 1
Surfside Beach 1
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0

Matagorda Island 1
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 4
North Padre Island 46, including 40 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 19
Boca Chica Beach 6