Record-breaking nesting year for Kemp’s ridley sea turtles
By Donna J. Shaver

NPS

The year 2004 marks an endangered species success story in the making. The story began in 1978 with the initiation of an international, multiagency, experimental project to reestablish a nesting colony of endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) at Padre Island National Seashore. Today Padre Island conducts a program to detect and protect Kemp’s ridley nests through patrols, public education, and community involvement. Thanks to funding from the Natural Resource Challenge, Department of the Interior Cooperative Conservation Initiative, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and other partners, a record 42 Kemp’s ridley nests were found on the Texas coast in 2004, including 22 at Padre Island National Seashore. Eggs from 32 of the 42 nests were transported to the Padre Island incubation facility for protected care, and the 2,608 hatchlings produced were released at the park this year.

More Kemp’s ridley nests have been recorded at Padre Island National Seashore than at any other location in the United States. Overall, the number of nests found on the Texas coast has increased over the last decade (1995, 4 nests; 1996, 6 nests; 1997, 9 nests; 1998, 13 nests; 1999, 16 nests; 2000, 12 nests; 2001, 8 nests; 2002, 38 nests; 2003, 19 nests; 2004, 42 nests). Much remains to be done in this long-term restoration effort, but findings in recent years are encouraging. With continued effort it is likely the Kemp’s ridley will be downlisted to threatened status and a secondary nesting colony of this native species will become established at Padre Island National Seashore.