First Turtle Nest of 2021 Laid In Holden Beach

Diet: Primarily crabs, as well as fish, sea jellies, and mollusks (Shaver 1991, National Marine Fisheries Service 2020)

Lifespan: Unknown; reach sexual maturity at 10-16 years (Caillouet et al. 2011, National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011)

Nesting season: Mid-March through August; females nest every 1-3 years and can lay 1-4 clutches in one nesting season; each nest contains an average of 100 eggs that take 6-8 weeks to hatch (Shaver 1992, National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011)

Historic population: At least 40,000 females nesting in Mexico annually in the 1940s (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011)

Lowest population: Less than 300 females nesting in Mexico in 1985 (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011)

Current population: Current estimates include 5,500 females nesting in Mexico annually and about 55 females nesting in Texas annually

Population trends: Declining; populations increased 12-19% annually in Texas and Mexico from 1997 through 2009 (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011); reduced numbers were found in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015; the numbers found in 2011 and 2012 were similar to 2009 levels

Reasons for decline: Historic direct harvest of eggs and nesting adults; historic and ongoing incidental capture in fishing gear; other ongoing human impacts and environmental degradation of the Gulf of Mexico (Caillouet et al. 1991, Caillouet et al. 1996, Shaver 1998a, Shaver 1998b, National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011)

Current threats: Incidental capture in fishing gear; degradation of marine and nesting habitat; ocean pollution/marine debris (Lewison et al. 2003, National Marine Fisheries Service 2020)

Fun Facts about the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle!

Roundabout! The Kemp’s ridley is the only sea turtle with an almost circular carapace (upper shell).

I’ll take the day shift. Kemp’s ridleys are the only sea turtles nesting primarily during the day. This may be a strategy to make it harder for nocturnal predators like raccoons to follow their tracks or scent and find their eggs.

She’s hot and he’s cool! The gender of each baby turtle is determined by the temperature at which the egg incubates, with warmer temperatures creating females and cooler temperatures creating males (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011, LeBlanc et al. 2012). Despite incubating together, the eggs from one nest do not usually produce hatchlings that are all the same gender. In a typical nest, eggs in the center of the clutch are warmer than eggs at the outside edge due to metabolic heat created by the surrounding eggs. Hatchlings from eggs in the center are more likely to be females, and hatchlings from eggs on the outer edges are more likely to be males (LeBlanc et al. 2012).

A life at sea! Once they enter the water shortly after hatching, male Kemp’s ridleys never come ashore again unless injured or sick (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011).

There’s something about Padre! Most Kemp’s ridley nests are found in Mexico however, south Texas is at the northern end of the Kemp’s ridley documented historic nesting range. More nests are found at Padre Island National Seashore than any other location in the United States (Shaver and Caillouet 2015).

A true Texas turtle. Texas is the only state in the U.S. where Kemp’s ridleys are native, with nesting records dating back to the 1940s. Kemp’s ridleys almost disappeared, but intensive conservation efforts increased populations in both Texas and Mexico. Communities have expressed support for this unique part of Texas heritage in many ways, from water tower and city murals to festivals and more. The state legislature has even designated the Kemp’s ridley as the Texas State Turtle!

Arribada! Kemp’s ridleys are the only sea turtles nesting in groups called arribadas (Spanish for “arrivals”). Just prior to an arribada, female sea turtles gather offshore. When weather conditions and timing is right, the females make their way towards the shore, crawling onto the beach to nest during a single nesting event. Biologists believe nesting in groups is a strategy to reduce predation by overwhelming the predators with numbers. Eventually, thousands of hatchlings will emerge around the same time, again overwhelming potential predators such as crabs, birds, and fish.

Turtles as far as the eye could see. In 1947, a pilot flying over Rancho Nuevo in Tamaulipas, Mexico, witnessed thousands of sea turtles crawling on the beach! He heard rumors of such an event and was prepared with a video camera. He landed and filmed the turtles as they nested. When scientists discovered this film in the 1960s, they analyzed the footage and estimated 40,000 female Kemp’s ridley sea turtles came ashore to nest on the beach at Rancho Nuevo on that one day (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011). For more information see The Story of the Kemp’s Ridley.

All their eggs in one basket. Kemp’s ridleys are the most endangered sea turtles in the world. The known world annual nesting population plunged from at least 40,000 females in the 1940s to less than 300 females in the mid-1980s. The species was on the brink of extinction. Although Mexico initiated conservation efforts in the 1960s, the population continued to decline. By the 1970s, what little nesting that was occurring took place almost exclusively at Rancho Nuevo (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011).

Back from the brink? In 1978, the U.S. joined conservation efforts. A multi-agency, international program was conducted to boost nesting at Padre Island National Seashore. This helped to re-establish a nesting colony at a protected area in the U.S. where nesting had previously occurred and provided safeguards against species extinction (Fontaine and Shaver 2005, Shaver 2005, Shaver and Wibbels 2007, Caillouet et al. 2015, Shaver and Caillouet 2015). Since then, extensive conservation efforts have continued in Mexico and the U.S., including the current work done by the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore. As a result, the Kemp’s ridley population has increased 12-19% annually in Texas and Mexico starting in 1997 and reached a peak of nearly 20,000 nests found in 2009 (National Marine Fisheries Service et al. 2011).

The job’s not over! Unfortunately, Kemp’s ridley nesting stopped increasing and suddenly and unexpectedly began decreasing in 2010. Reduced numbers of nests were found in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2015. The number of nests found in 2011 and 2012 were similar to 2009 levels. Scientists are still working to determine the cause of this reversal. (Caillouet 2014, Shaver and Caillouet 2015).