Nesting Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Rediscover Louisiana’s Chandeleur Islands

Summer Sighting Marked First Time in 75 Years Anyone’s Had Evidence of the Endangered Sea Turtles Nesting on the Islands

From the Fall 2022 Fish & Wildlife News

Written By

Brynn Garner

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused catastrophic damage to the Louisiana coast, its barrier islands, and the birds and other wildlife that call them home.

Among the areas most heavily oiled were the Chandeleur Islands of Breton National Wildlife Refuge. These islands constitute some of the most essential habitat for water birds and nesting birds off the coast of Louisiana.

small black sea turtle hatchling resting on sand — A newly hatched Kemp's ridley sea turtle makes its way to the Gulf of Mexico from Louisiana's Chandeleur Islands.

A proposed restoration project funded by the Deepwater Horizon settlement aims to restore the island chain to improve nesting habitat for water birds. As project managers surveyed the site in summer 2022 from a seaplane, they spotted a rare sight: tracks from nesting Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. Someone from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority actually saw a hatchling scurrying toward water and captured it on film.

This exciting sighting marked the first time in 75 years anyone’s had evidence of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles nesting on the islands.

2 photos: On left, 2 people on beach, one with hand down hole. On right, person squatting in sand talks to seven others — Nest recovery work concluded that Kemp’s ridley sea turtle 76 hatchlings emerged from this nest. Todd Baker, of Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, explains the goals of the Chandeleur Islands Restoration Project.

On September 14, the restoration team found more good news. They had hosted guests from the Louisiana House of Representatives, the Louisiana House Natural Resources and Environment Committee, the Pontchartrain Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, and others. The team had talked about the ongoing engineering and design work for the proposed restoration project and the evidence of sea turtle nesting.

After the guests’ site visit, the team discovered a previously hatched Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nest. The team worked quickly to recover the nest and concluded that 76 hatchlings emerged from the nest. Another Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting on the islands!

While the news spurred the proposed projects, these discoveries highlighted that Chandeleur Islands restoration isn’t just for the birds! The whole ecosystem will benefit from our collaborative restoration work with our partners. The dedication and hope for the project’s success continues to grow with each new discovery.