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The Coastal Program continues its partnership with the National Park Service at Padre Island National Seashore by helping protect and release hatchlings of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle – the world's most endangered sea turtle. By providing trained staff during peak hatchling season, program staff ensure that these vulnerable turtles have their best chance of reaching the Gulf of America.
Once known for nesting in massive, synchronized groups known as arribadas, Kemp's ridleys are beginning to show signs of this remarkable behavior again in Texas. Even so, hatchlings face formidable challenges, including predators, extreme heat, vehicle traffic on beaches, and increasingly high tides that can flood nests. For decades, Padre Island National Seashore has led the nation's longest-running recovery effort by locating nests, protecting eggs, and incubating them to improve hatchling survival.
Now in its second year of supporting hatchling releases, the Coastal Program joins other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff from Ecological Services, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and the Office of Law Enforcement, along with the Texas General Land Office and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, to provide personnel and logistical support. Together, these partners ensure releases are conducted safely and efficiently across miles of protected shoreline, demonstrating how collaboration drives species recovery and strengthens coastal ecosystems.
That collaboration is producing measurable results. Texas has documented more than 650 Kemp's ridley nests in 2026, surpassing last year's record of 449 nests, while early signs of renewed arribada-like nesting offer additional hope. Every hatchling released into the Gulf reflects decades of dedicated conservation and brings this iconic species one step closer to recovery.
