The turtles are coming ashore!

It's that time of year again when sea turtles leave thier wet world behind and head for dry land. Making the journey to shore all in an effort to lay their eggs in a safe location. You can help protect these critters by doing your part to help detect and protect sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. 

Nesting Facts

• Turtle nesting season runs from early April to mid-July.

• Three kinds of sea turtles are commonly found in Texas waters: Kemp's Ridley, Green, and Loggerhead.

• Kemp’s ridleys nest in arribadas, meaning they all come in to nest at once. During an "arribada," large groups of females gather offshore and come onto the beach to nest in large numbers, generally over several hours.

• Turtles make two-foot wide tracks that look like check marks with a drag mark in the middle.

• Kemp's Ridley turtles, the world's most endangered sea turtle, nest in the western Gulf of Mexico.

• Sea turtles lay their eggs in a nest they dig in the sand with their rear flippers. The group of eggs is called a clutch.

• Most sea turtles nest at night. Kemp’s ridleys are the only sea turtles that routinely nest during the day. 

• They usually lay 100-125 eggs per nest and will nest multiple times, about two weeks apart, over several months.

• The sex of sea turtles, like many other turtles, is determined by the temperature in the nest. Cooler incubation temperatures produce male hatchlings and warmer incubation temperatures produce female hatchlings.

• To help ensure the survival of nesting sea turtles and eggs, biologists, and volunteers will patrol Texas beaches from April through July. 

• Click here to view the daily nesting reports from the Texas coast. 

What to do

If you see a nesting turtle on the shores of Port Aransas do NOT touch the turtle. As soon as you can call 1-866-TURTLE5. That number works on the whole Texas coast and will connect you with local rescue services, like the ARK, who can help. You can help the turtle by making sure that drivers on the beach are aware the turtle is there and on the move. Wait until help arrives, and let the professionals take over.