Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Description:

I came upon this female while on patrol for nesters. I saw the glint of the sun on her shell just as she was coming out of the water, and so I got to watch the whole process of her coming ashore, digging her nest cavity, depositing the eggs in it, covering it back over, and returning to the ocean. It all takes about 45 minutes to complete, and it's amazing how they're able to do all that without arms and legs. It was an awesome experience.

Habitat:

Beach at the Gulf of Mexico, on South Padre Island at the southern tip of Texas. She laid her eggs at the base of sand dunes set back a little ways from the water.

Notes:

The last picture is what her tracks look like on the sand.