First-Ever Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Nested in California

An olive ridley sea turtle was observed digging a nest and laying eggs on the beach near Seal Beach, in Orange County, California on September 16, 2026. This is the first-ever recorded nest for any sea turtle species on the U.S. West Coast. The nesting female was discovered about 3 p.m. by a beachgoer who alerted the Huntington Beach life guards. Three days later and about 8 miles away, a second turtle was observed around 7 p.m. nesting near the Huntington Beach Pier.

Due to forecasted high surf resulting from tropical storms off Mexico, a team of scientists from federal and state agencies collected the eggs and transferred them to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach on September 25. The eggs will be under the care of Aquarium staff during their incubation period. If they successfully hatch, the young turtles will be released on the beaches where the eggs were laid to make their journey across the sand to the ocean.

How We Monitored the Nests

A large team-local, state, and federal agencies, alongside public aquaria, local community organizations and educational groups- worked together. Both areas were fenced, roped off, and had interpretive signage. The Cities of Huntington Beach and Seal Beach conducted extra patrols and surveilled the sites. We closely monitored tide, storm, and surf forecasts and determined that transferring the 100-200 eggs gave them the highest chance of survival.

We are also on the lookout for additional nesting events. Each olive ridley will typically nest 2-3 times during the season, about 2 weeks apart and in the same general area. We are also working with local partners to collect scientific information, aid in monitoring the sites, and share information with the public.

Sea Turtle Conservation

Sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act , which prohibits harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting any listed species. In the United States, NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have shared jurisdiction for promoting the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered sea turtles. We have responsibilities for promoting the conservation and recovery of sea turtles in the marine environment, while the U.S. FWS has responsibilities for these animals on nesting beaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where and when do olive ridleys usually nest?

This species has never been documented to nest in the United States. The closest nesting site is in the western Cape region of Baja California, Mexico, near Todos Santos. A few scattered nests occur near Magdalena Bay on the Pacific Baja coast but nothing further has been recorded until now.

We are in the peak of the nesting season for olive ridleys in Mexico, which runs from about July to December. Some olive ridleys will nest en masse (during arribada events), nesting in groups of more than 1,000 turtles at a time. Others are solitary. Typically a nest will incubate for 45-60 days. Females typically lay 2-3 nests about 2 weeks apart. Adult female sea turtles show high fidelity to the areas where they hatched. This means about 15 years after hatching, they will return as adults to nest again on the beach where they were born.

Why are we seeing these turtles? Is El Niño the cause?

While the exact reasons why these turtles nested in Orange County are uncertain, warm sea surface temperatures from ongoing marine heatwaves and the incoming 2027 El Niño are likely key factors. Olive ridleys are naturally nomadic and highly migratory; their adaptable nature and perhaps navigational errors may also have contributed. Likely due to a combination of factors, these turtles found conditions favorable to nesting-not on their usual nesting beaches hundreds of miles to the south, but in Southern California.

How do we know the two olive ridley turtles observed nesting are two different turtles?

Dr. Cali Turner Tomaszewicz, a research biologist with the Southwest Fisheries Science Center's Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, conducted a photo ID analysis to tell the two turtles apart. She compared body shape, the number and location of barnacles, and each turtle's scute pattern-the unique arrangement of the large scales on a turtle's shell, much like a human fingerprint.

What are the chances these eggs will survive and hatch?

This is a first, and there is a lot we do not know. There are many days and many hurdles to overcome over the 45-60 day incubation period. Hazardous surf conditions, beach erosion, and the risk of flooding could destroy or wash away the nests during the forecasted storm. The science team believed the highest chance of survival for the eggs was to collect them and hatch them under human care.

Importantly, this is a potential "founding event." Because sea turtles show fidelity to where they hatched, it is entirely possible that if these baby turtles survive, they'll be back in 15 years as adults to nest again. If they successfully hatch, the young turtles will be released on the beaches where the eggs were laid to make their journey across the sand to the ocean.

Partners

Thanks to the large inter-agency team that is coordinating effort to monitor and protect these turtles, including:

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Cities of Huntington Beach and Seal Beach
• Aquarium of the Pacific
• U.S. Navy
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
• California State University - Long Beach
• Surfside Colony Community Organization

What You Can Do

• Do not disturb nesting turtles, nests or hatchlings, or protective fencing or interpretive signage around nesting sites
• If you see a turtle on the beach, report it using this submission form , calling (562) 506-4315, or notifying lifeguards
• If you find a stranded sea turtle, call the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Stranding Hotline at (562) 506-4315