Sea Turtles at Crystal Beach, Texas: Nesting Season and What to Do

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles on the Texas Coast

The Kemp's ridley sea turtle is the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species in the world. Texas is one of their primary nesting areas outside of Mexico. Female Kemp's ridley turtles come ashore on Gulf beaches to lay eggs, and Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula is within their nesting range.

These turtles are small compared to other sea turtles. Adults weigh about 100 pounds with a shell roughly 2 feet across. They're olive-green on top and pale yellow underneath. Seeing one on the beach or in the water is a rare and special thing.

Nesting Season: April Through July

Nesting season runs from about mid-April through mid-July. Female turtles crawl onto the beach during daytime (unlike most sea turtle species that nest at night) to dig a nest and lay 90 to 110 eggs. The whole process takes about an hour.

If you see a sea turtle on the beach, do not approach it, touch it, or interfere in any way. Keep dogs away. Stay at least 60 feet back. The turtle needs to feel safe to complete nesting. Too much disturbance and she'll return to the water without laying eggs.

What to Do if You Find a Nest

If you find a sea turtle nesting or discover what looks like a nest (a disturbed area of sand above the high tide line, sometimes with flipper tracks), report it immediately. Call the Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline at 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535). You can also contact NOAA Fisheries or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Do not dig up the nest. Do not take eggs. Do not mark the nest yourself. Trained responders will come out to verify the nest, mark it, and protect it. Taking or disturbing sea turtle eggs is a federal crime under the Endangered Species Act. Fines can reach $50,000.

Seeing Sea Turtles in the Water

You might spot a Kemp's ridley turtle swimming in the shallow Gulf waters, especially during nesting season. They come up to breathe regularly so you may see a small head popping up near the surface. They're much harder to spot than dolphins, but it happens.

Sea turtles also show up as bycatch in fishing nets and on hook-and-line occasionally. If you catch a sea turtle while fishing, call the stranding hotline. Do not attempt to remove hooks yourself. Cut the line as close to the hook as possible and release the turtle.

Protecting Sea Turtles at Crystal Beach

Fill in any holes you dig on the beach before you leave. Sea turtles (and nesting females especially) can get trapped in beach holes and die. This is one of the easiest things you can do to help.

Pick up your trash. Plastic bags look like jellyfish to sea turtles, and they eat them. Balloons, fishing line, and plastic debris all kill turtles. Keep the beach clean and you're directly helping an endangered species survive. Turn off bright beachfront lights during nesting season if your rental faces the Gulf. Bright lights disorient hatchlings trying to reach the water.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where to Stay in Crystal Beach

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