First sea turtle nests in Louisiana and not one in Mississippi
Officials with the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies found a sea turtle nest last week in Pass Christian. The find is a rare occurrence, only the third sighting on the Mississippi mainland since 2018. Workers from the Harrison County Sand Beach Authority noticed tracks leading from the ocean near Pass Christian Harbor and called the IMMS to report them. Experts from the IMMS confirmed that the tracks indeed belonged to a sea turtle and were able to locate the nest nearby. While sea turtle nests are a common sight each year on the Gulf islands, it is uncommon for them to be found closer to the Coast. “The beaches are artificial, so it has been pretty rare,” said IMMS Stranding Coordinator Theresa Madrigal. “We are excited to see that the turtles are utilizing the beaches and coming up to nest.”
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1991 was the first land side sighting.
The first documented nest on the mainland dates back to 1991, with the IMMS providing vital assistance in monitoring nests found on the Coast since 2012. The eggs are believed to belong to a loggerhead sea turtle, one of the more prevalent species along the Gulf Coast. Another likely species, the Kemp Ridley sea turtle, was spotted on Ship Island last year. “Sea turtles typically return to beaches that they were born from to lay their eggs as adults,” said Madrigal. “This is just indicating and showing that turtles have been nesting here, but we’re hopefully going to start seeing some more in the coming years.”
Nothing is done now other than to keep watch.
Following the hatching process, the IMMS will conduct an excavation to determine the exact number of eggs, how many successfully hatched, and at what stage of development the unhatched eggs ceased. To ensure the undisturbed incubation of the nest, IMMS staff and interns monitor it regularly every few days. The IMMS urges the public and workers to respect the boundaries marked by ropes and signage, as they help safeguard the eggs. If someone comes across turtle tracks or a nest, the IMMS requests that they contact their hot-line at (888) 767-3657.
In Florida one summer for a payment the grandkids had nests put in their names.
