Endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle numbers rising

Previous numbers of Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests on South Padre Island have been surpassed by this years' record numbers. In all of 2007, there were 20 nests recovered by Sea Turtle, Inc. with the hatchlings released into the gulf.

Turtle nesting season continues well into July but already this year there have been 48 nests recovered including an Atlantic Green turtle nest discovered on Wednesday that contained 99 eggs.

The green's nest is the first one documented this year and only the second ever documented on the island.

Of the 48 protected nests, 17 of those have hatched and it is anticipated that another dozen nests will hatch within the first few days of July. According to data from Sea Turtle, Inc. the number of hatchlings released so far in 2008 is an incredible 1,350.

"We had an Atlantic green nest here on Wednesday," said Jeff George of Sea Turtle, Inc. "And we're very excited about it. We can certainly attribute this unusual nesting to our turtle recovery operation."

Historically, it is known that the Atlantic green nested on South Padre 100-200 years ago, and hopes are high that the green's numbers will also increase.

Don Arendarczyk, a recent South Padre resident who is originally from Chicago, found the larger Atlantic green's tracks in the sand on Wednesday afternoon while on turtle patrol on the county beach for Sea Turtle, Inc.

The 99 eggs were recovered by Arendarczyk and Sea Turtle Inc. marine biologists and taken to the protected corral until their hatching date. The green's eggs are larger than the ping pong ball sized eggs of the ridley, near golf ball size.

The most unusual location of an unrecovered hatching nest was at busy Isla Blanca Park just before the celebration of International Surfing Day on June 21.

Rob Nixon, volunteer and event coordinator for Surfrider South Texas, had arrived at Isla Blanca early to set up for the event and noticed something moving in the sand near his feet. Realizing a turtle nest was in process of hatching, Sea Turtle Inc. was called and with officials from Texas Parks and Wildlife, the remaining hatchlings were taken to an area with less public traffic to begin their journey.

Eighty nine percent of the nests' eggs hatched, which is considered good for an unprotected nest. The sea turtle had nested up against the sea wall in the most heavily trafficked part of the public park.

To find out more about the endangered sea turtles, visit Sea Turtle, Inc or call for daily hatchling info at 956-761-4511.