SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – The sea turtles are here.
“We are really excited about nesting season,” said Jeff George, executive director of Sea Turtle Inc. “We are hopeful, There are indicators we will have a good year this year.”
Nesting season starts in April and the eggs typically hatch in June.
George and his cadre of Sea Turtle Inc. interns will be working extra hard over the next few months protecting the turtle nests on the beach.
“Mom will lay her eggs and goes back into the ocean,” George said. “She is done in one to two hours and then she’s gone.”
George said the Island should see 75 to 100 nests. Each nest has about 100 eggs which will produce 10,000 hatchlings this year.
“We find the eggs and protect them and then release the hatchlings when they’re born,” George said.
Sea Turtle Inc.’s public education component is to educate tourists to make sure they are aware there are endangered sea turtles on the Island.
The organization has multiple cameras rolling live for people from all over the world to see what’s happening at the facility, during releases and while patrolling the beach.
“Public awareness plays a big role,” George said. “We want people to want to protect these turtles.”
