Sea Turtle Nesting on Padre Island

Mary Ann Tous attends turtle patrol training in 2008 given by Donna Shaver who is assisted by Cynthia Rubio
(From left): Cynthia Rubio, Mary Ann Tous,
Dr. Donna Shaver

Turtle Training

To prepare for nesting season, Donna Shaver, PhD, Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore for the National Park Service offers an annual patrol training course for volunteers to teach them how to look for sea turtle nests so that the eggs within the nests can be protected from predators and that all particulars are properly documented such as location of nest and number of eggs.

Beach Patrol

With the beginning of sea turtle nesting season on South Padre Island, the patrols of the beaches also begin. Dedicated volunteers assist in the annual efforts to locate new nests and to report them accordingly for proper attention. Naturally, the Turtle Lady Legacy is there to help.

For several weeks on a regular schedule, Mary Ann Tous and Patti Pitcock carefully walk their assigned stretch of beach looking for any signs
of a sea turtle nest.



Mary Ann Tous prepares for beach patrol
Mary Ann Tous embarks on a beach patrol
A Kemp's ridley sea turtle is sometimes barely distinguishable from the sand in which she lays her eggs
The turtle's natural coloring offers protective camouflage while she fills
her nest with up to 100 or more eggs

Sea Turtle Nesting

Each year Kemp's ridley sea turtles swim to the shores of South Padre Island to nest.

During the week of May 5, 2008, a wild nester (a sea turtle which hasn't been already tagged), appeared barely a mile from the Turtle Lady house to deposit her eggs before returning to the sea. As is readily evident from the pictures below, she is quite a beauty.

A Kemp's ridley sea turtle nesting on the beach
Photos courtesy of Ann Arendarczyk
Link to the NPS website page with current nesting information in Texas

Link to webpage with more information about sea turtle nesting and hatchling releases on South Padre Island    Link to News Page with Hatchling information