This year, a record number of threatened loggerhead sea turtle strandings have occurred on the Texas coast. Loggerhead sea turtles are one of five species of sea turtle that inhabit the Gulf of Mexico, and this year’s strandings is more than double any recorded year in the past decade.
In a release from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, 282 loggerheads were stranded in Texas between April 1 and August 19. From 2012 to 2021, the average loggerhead strandings was 109 Texas beaches each year, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Two-thirds of the stranded loggerheads have been found dead, with the remaining one-third though alive, were “underweight and emaciated.”
- The causes of this year’s alarming numbers have not yet been identified, but a few have been ruled out:
infectious diseases
biotoxins
fisheries-related captures
Anyone that sees a sea turtle on a beach or shoreline in Texas have been advised to quickly report the sighting by calling 1-866-TURTLE-5. You can also report turtle sightings through the iSeaTurtle App.
