TPW TV: Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles
Friday, September 3rd, 2010This is Passport to Texas
The Kemps Ridley may be the smallest of the endangered sea turtles, but its recovery is no small feat. Thanks to the dedication of scientists and volunteers, they’re numbers are on the rise. Learn more this month on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV series. Producer, Bruce Biermann.
The native nesting area’s in Northern Mexico, and scientists decided back in the late 60’s to put a second nesting area in Texas in hopes that if anything ever happened to the nesting area in Mexico, there would be an alternate area. And what’s happened is, both areas the numbers are starting to increase because of out efforts.
The way they find the eggs is by patrolling the beach every single day. And they look for the tracks where the turtle has come in and laid its eggs.
Nesting Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are only on the beach for about 45 minutes. She lays the eggs; when the turtle is done, she will cover that that nest cavity and she returns to the sea.
It’s one of the few turtles that lays its eggs during the daytime, so the tracks are obvious as they’re traveling up and down the beach. It takes a lot of volunteers to be able to patrol some forty miles of beach front. They’re very optimistic. This is a success story in the making.
Thanks, Bruce.
That’s our show… we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
Passport to Texas is a 
Passport to Texas is made available by: