Austin EcoExpeditions & Wildlife - Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Release

Kemp’s ridleys are the smallest and most critically endangered sea turtle species. Adults are 2 feet long and weigh only 70-100 pounds. In Texas, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles occur in nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters, bays, and passes, where they feed mostly on crabs, and occasionally fish, sea jellies, and mollusks. Since the mid-1970s, the National Park Service at Padre Island National Seashore has been an integral member of the bi-national, multi-agency Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery Program. Its mission? To save the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle species from extinction.
National Park Service Page: Kemp's ridley sea turtles - Padre Island National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Hatchling Release Page: Requested Page Not Found (404) (nps.gov)
Page will be available once the turtle season begins in late April, check back!!

Event Summary: Every year the National Park Service welcomes people from around the world to experience the wonders of our nation's national parks. At Padre Island National Seashore, many people patiently wait for return of sea turtle nesting season and the opportunity to watch a hatchling release. Hatchling releases typically occur from mid-June through August. Most of the releases take place at 6:45 am on Malaquite Beach in front of the visitor center at Padre Island National Seashore on North Padre Island in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Dates: Mid-June throughout August. Exact dates will not be announced until closer to the season. Check back on this page in June 2024 for future sea turtle hatchling releases. We will then be able to schedule our tour!

Nonetheless, we will be having Meet Ups to plan for this event in the near future!

Upcoming Prep Meetings:
COMING SOON!