Sea Turtle Nesting and Hatching

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Padre Island National Seashore is excited to announce the 2017 sea turtle nesting season spring volunteer training events scheduled in March. Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species in the world. More than half of the Kemp’s ridley nests found in the U.S. each year are located at the National Seashore. The eggs from nests found on North Padre Island and the northern Texas coast are relocated to Padre Island National Seashore for protected incubation. Volunteers with our program help find, document, and protect nesting Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and their eggs on North Padre Island. Most people volunteering with our turtle project help patrol to find, document, and protect nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles and their eggs using our Utility Transport Vehicles (UTVs). Volunteers can also help in other ways such as radio dispatching or conducting walking patrols on local Gulf beaches. Volunteers also help with operational support activities such as transporting eggs to our incubation facility by beach and highway. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. If volunteers will be driving a government vehicle, they must possess a valid driver's license. All volunteers must attend at least one training session.