An olive ridley sea turtle nested on Seal Beach, Orange County, on Sept. 16 — the first recorded natural sea turtle nesting on the U.S. West Coast, NOAA says. The nesting area has been fenced and will be monitored through the typical 45–60 day incubation period. A second turtle was seen near Huntington Beach Pier three days later, though it’s unclear if it was the same animal. NOAA urges the public to give nesting sites space and to report sightings to (562) 506-4315.
Historic First: Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Nests on Southern California Beach
L-R: The olive ridley sea turtle; the eggsCredit: NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Facebook
An olive ridley sea turtle dug a nest and laid eggs on Seal Beach in Orange County on Sept. 16 — the first documented natural sea turtle nesting event on the U.S. West Coast, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.
An olive ridley sea turtle nesting in Southern CaliforniaCredit: NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Facebook
What Officials Are Doing
NOAA Fisheries West Coast confirmed the sighting on its Facebook page and said local, state and federal partners have fenced off the nesting area and posted signage to protect the eggs. Teams will monitor the site throughout the incubation period, which for olive ridley eggs typically ranges from 45 to 60 days.
Sea turtle eggsCredit: NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Facebook
Why This Matters
Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are the smallest sea turtle species, with adults generally measuring about 2.5–3 feet long and weighing up to about 100 pounds. They typically nest in tropical and subtropical regions such as Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama; while individuals are occasionally carried north to Southern California by warm currents, nesting in the United States had not previously been documented.
An olive ridley sea turtle seen in Southern CaliforniaCredit: NOAA Fisheries West Coast/Facebook
NOAA’s guidance: Keep your distance from nesting turtles, do not disturb fencing or signage, and avoid approaching the site so the animals and eggs remain protected.
Additional Observations
Three days after the initial sighting, another olive ridley (possibly the same individual) was observed near the Huntington Beach Pier. It is not yet known whether the second sighting involved the same turtle.
Members of the public who observe sea turtles in California are asked to report sightings to the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Stranding Hotline at (562) 506-4315.
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