Emp’s ridley sea turtles once thrived in the Gulf of Mexico, but since the middle of the 20th century, their populations have declined so drastically that they are now the most endangered sea turtle species in the world. Now, though, a small chain of barrier islands off the Louisiana coast offers promise.
Wednesday marked the first time in 75 years that sea turtle hatchlings were discovered on the Chandeleur Islands, according to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. More than fifty-three sea turtle crawls have been discovered to yet, and two hatchlings were observed making their way to the water.
Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings make their journey to the Gulf of Mexico by crawling along the sand.
LOUISIANA COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY
“It’s an exciting discovery,” said Bren Haase, executive director of the CPRA. We anticipate other hatchlings to emerge in the coming weeks and years.
The government stated that additional nests may be discovered in the following weeks, as the nesting season for sea turtles recently concluded its peak in July. Typically, hatchlings appear approximately two months after eggs are deposited.
The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the smallest species of sea turtle in the world and has been categorized as endangered in the United States since December 1970. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has classified the Gulf of Mexico species as critically endangered, which means they are “very vulnerable to extinction in the wild.”
Officials discovered breeding loggerhead sea turtles, also designated as endangered by U.S. officials, on the islands. In 2015, nesting Loggerheads were discovered on Louisiana’s Grand isle for the first time in over three decades, marking the return of sea turtle nesting to the state’s coastline. The majority of nesting takes place in Mexico.
Chip Kline, chairman of the restoration authority, said in a statement, “Louisiana was generally written off as a nesting site for sea turtles decades ago, but this determination underscores why barrier island restoration is so vital.” This knowledge now enables us to ensure that these turtles and other species return to our shores annually.
According to the organization, the discovery will boost island conservation measures and assure habitat preservation.
“The significance of the islands to the region has increased,” said Jack Montoucet, head of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. We are acquiring a better understanding of the benefits this barrier island restoration may give for the Gulf of Mexico-wide recovery of this endangered species.
This year, the restoration authority and wildlife officials have closely monitored the island chain to aid in the development of a restoration scheme. According to the agency’s announcement, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and “multiple tropical weather systems” have ravaged the Chandeleur Islands.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles suffered a “devastating drop” between the late 1940s and mid-1980s. In 2010, the same year that the Deepwater Horizon oil rig leaked around 134 million gallons of oil, the rise abruptly stopped. Since then, the species has struggled with nesting.
Today, the greatest threats to Kemp’s ridleys include inadvertent entanglement in fishing gear, human and animal predators, coastal development that eliminates nesting habitat, ship strikes, ocean pollution, and climate change.