Did you know that May happens to be sea turtle nesting season on South Padre Island? Every year many sea turtles come to our beaches beginning in April to build their nest along the shore. And when you stay with us in one of our Beachside vacation rentals, you may get to see a sea turtle or two. Let’s look at what our guests need to know about the nesting season below here on South Padre Island.
When Does Nesting Season Start?
May is a great time to visit South Padre Island since the temperature is warmer and in hopes of seeing a sea turtle. Nesting season began on April 1, 2019 and is one of the most magical times in Texas. This is the start of the sea turtles nesting season and it’s something you don’t want to miss on your next vacation to South Padre Island. During the night is when you will have the chance to see the sea turtle mothers come to shore to lay their eggs in the nest they built. Along the coast of Texas is where you will find the most Kemp Ridley sea turtle’s nests and hatchlings. Sea turtle nesting season doesn’t end until the beginning of August every year so while on vacation to our island this summer, please know that it’s nesting season.
What to Expect During Nesting Season on South Padre Island
When you visit our beautiful island, you may not know what to expect during the nesting season. The first thing you may notice is the many volunteers who come and check the shoreline each morning looking for a new nest. Next the volunteers will move the nests to a protected area and covered with a protective netting until they hatch. We do this on the island to avoid the turtle nests from getting crushed. Each nest is monitored until the eggs are ready to hatch. We here on South Padre Island know that it can be exciting if you happen to see a sea turtle nest or even a sea turtle, but here are a few simple rules to follow:
- Please refrain from using a flashlight on the beach at night and be sure to turn off the outdoor lights on your Beachside vacation rental. Each sea turtle use the moonlight to help guide them back to the ocean.
- Don’t leave any holes along the beach that you may dug for fun during the day. If a sea turtle mother is coming to shore to lay her eggs, we don’t want her to fall in and injury herself.
- Don’t leave any of your beach equipment at the beach during the night. Take it back to your vacation rental until your next day at the beach.
- Be sure to keep the beaches clean from any trash or plastic on the days you spend on the shore.
There are many other ways that you and your family can watch the sea turtles on the shore, these are the most important ones to know. If you haven’t made your vacation reservations yet, check out our South Padre Island vacation rentals today. We hope to see you and your family on your next vacation to South Padre Island this summer!
