Watch for Hatchlings on the Upper Texas Coast

It appears that the 2009 nesting season of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles on the Texas coast is over. But there is still work to be done. From now on, weaker live ridley hatchlings released in Mexico or at Padre Island National Seashore may wash up and strand on beaches on the upper Texas coast. The first live stranded ridley hatchling was found struggling in the surf on Sunday on June 21. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NOAA Sea Turtle Facility in Galveston. Last year, more than a dozen of these stranded hatchlings were found, so residents and tourists are asked to continue watching for sea turtles when walking on the beach. From now on, the turtles may be very tiny ones. To report a hatchling sighting, call 866-TURTLE-5.