What should I do if I see a nesting sea turtle in Galveston?

Watch the turtle from a safe distance and do not approach, touch or disturb her. Keep people, dogs and vehicles away from the nesting area and immediately report the sighting by calling 866-TURTLE5, or 866-887-8535.

How do I report a sea turtle or sea turtle tracks in Galveston?

Call the Texas Sea Turtle Stranding and Nesting Hotline at 866-TURTLE5, or 866-887-8535, to report a nesting sea turtle or suspected sea turtle tracks.

What do sea turtle tracks look like?

Sea turtle tracks may appear as alternating comma-shaped flipper marks with a smooth belly drag through the center and, in some cases, a tail mark. You may see one set of tracks leading ashore and another leading back toward the Gulf.

When do sea turtles nest on the Texas coast?

Sea turtles generally begin coming ashore to nest along the Texas coast in late spring, with nesting activity continuing through approximately mid-July.

How can beach visitors help protect sea turtles?

Visitors can help by keeping beaches clean, removing belongings before sunset, keeping dogs and vehicles away from nesting turtles, avoiding suspected nests or tracks and reporting turtle activity to the sea turtle hotline.

Kemp Ridley Turtles

What you can do

Leave No Trace

Tips for Protecting Texas' Critically Endangered Sea Turtles in Galveston, Texas

Join the conservation effort of protecting Kemp's Ridley sea turtles with these tips from Turtle Island Restoration Network.

The Kemp’s Ridley is the official sea turtle of Texas and a very critically endangered species. Beginning in late spring through mid-July sea turtles will be coming ashore to nest on beaches along the Texas coast, facing a range of threats from predators to people.

Galveston Sea Turtle Protection Tips

About Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles

The Kemp’s ridley is the smallest and most critically endangered sea turtle, and adults are usually found in the Gulf with some juveniles found along the east coast of the United States. This turtle is about 2 feet in length and weighs between 60 to 100 pounds. These turtles prefer shallow areas with sandy or muddy bottoms in nearshore or inshore waters. Their diet is primarily crab but they will ingest fish, jellyfish and a variety of mollusks. Unlike other sea turtles, the Kemp’s ridley typically nest during the day and will lay approximately 100 eggs in each nest.

On May 6, 2023, a beach visitor spotted a Kemp’s ridley nesting on the west end of Galveston Island! They notified the sea turtle hotline, and the female successfully nested, and 92 eggs were in the nest cavity. So far this year, 81 Kemp’s ridley nests have been found and protected on the Texas coast!

Pictured: Kemp Ridley Sea Turtle

Credit: Houston Zoo

Galveston Sea Turtle Protection Tips

Help Protect Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles

If you are fortunate to see a female emerging from the gulf and crawling ashore to lay her eggs at the base of the dune, please do not disturb the turtle in anyway. Protect her by keeping people, dogs and vehicles a safe distance from her. Anyone spotting a nesting sea turtle should immediately call 866-TURTLE5/866-887-8535 to report the turtle.

You may find the turtle tracks in the sand. The turtle’s crawl pattern looks like alternating comma-shaped marks with a smooth belly drag in the center and possibly a tail mark. You may discover two sets of tracks, one incoming and one outgoing. If you are lucky to discover the tracks, please call 866-TURTLE5/866-887-8535 to report your finding.

Pictured: Kemp Ridley Seaturtle

Credit: Turtle Island Restoration Network

To protect marine life and decrease litter on the beach, the City of Galveston has implemented a City Ordinance (No 19-017 Secs 8-27) that states all items left on the beach after sunset will be discarded. The Galveston Park Board enforces the ordinance.

We are fortunate to share the Gulf with such a magnificent, long-lived creature, and with your help we will be able to protect the Kemp’s ridley for many years.

Turtle Island Restoration Network

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Author

Turtle Island Restoration Network

Turtle Island Restoration Network, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, mobilizes people in local communities around the world to protect marine wildlife and the oceans and inland watersheds that sustain them. Since 1989, the organization has worked to protect and restore endangered sea turtle populations and marine biodiversity in ways that incorporate the ecological needs of marine species and the economic needs of local communities.