SEA TURTLE RELEASES & NESTING SEASON
Nesting & Hatchling Season
2025 Nesting Season
Nesting Calendar - Updated Every Monday starting in April 2025
Nesting & hatchling season is an exciting time for us at Sea Turtle, Inc. The 2025 nesting season officially kicks off on April 1st! Below, you will find resources to explain our role in nesting season and information on public sea turtle releases.
Estimated Hatch Dates Explained
Our nesting calendar provides detailed information about our current nesting season. Here you can track the progress of nests, starting from the date a nest was laid to when the hatchlings were released.
Kemp’s Ridley eggs incubate between 45-55 days from the date the nest was laid. We calculate our estimated hatch dates based on this time frame. It’s important to remember that nature can be unpredictable and environmental factors like temperature and weather can influence incubation periods. Our nesting calendar should be used only as a guide and does not guarantee a public hatchling release.
2025 Nesting Calendar
| Nest Number | Date Laid | # Of Eggs Laid | Estimated Hatch Dates | Hatch Date | Hatchlings Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4/16/25 | 84 | May 31 - June 15 | ||
| 2 | 4/17/25 | 96 | June 1 - June 16 | ||
| 3 | 4/18/25 | 137 | June 2 - June 17 | ||
| 4 | 4/24/25 | 115 | June 8 - June 23 | ||
| 5 | 4/24/25 | 99 | June 8 - June 23 | ||
| 6 | 4/24/25 | 111 | June 8 - June 23 | ||
| 7 | 4/25/25 | 95 | June 9 - June 24 | ||
| 8 | 4/26/25 | 84 | June 10 - June 25 | ||
| 9 | 4/26/25 | 80 | June 10 - June 25 | ||
| 10 | 4/27/25 | 79 | June 11 - June 26 | ||
| 11 | 4/27/25 | 65 | June 11 - June 26 | ||
| 12 | 4/28/25 | 71 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 13 | 4/28/25 | 85 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 14 | 4/28/25 | 125 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 15 | 4/28/25 | 84 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 16 | 4/28/25 | 97 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 17 | 4/28/25 | 109 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 18 | 4/28/25 | 84 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 19 | 4/28/25 | 106 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 20 | 4/28/25 | 114 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 21 | 4/28/25 | 109 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 22 | 4/28/25 | 64 | June 12 - June 27 | ||
| 23 | 4/29/25 | 97 | June 13 - June 28 | ||
| 24 | 4/30/25 | 75 | June 14 - June 29 | ||
| 25 | 4/30/25 | 95 | June 14 - June 29 | ||
| 26 | 4/30/25 | 119 | June 14 - June 29 | ||
| 27 | 4/30/25 | 103 | June 14 - June 29 | ||
| 28 | 5/5/25 | 93 | June 19 - July 4 | ||
| 29 | 5/6/25 | 96 | June 20 - July 5 | ||
| 30 | 5/6/25 | 106 | June 20 - July 5 | ||
| 31 | 5/9/25 | 148 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 32 | 5/9/25 | 105 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 33 | 5/9/25 | 117 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 34 | 5/9/25 | 95 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 35 | 5/9/25 | 76 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 36 | 5/9/25 | 103 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 37 | 5/9/25 | 92 | June 23 - July 8 | ||
| 38 | 5/13/25 | 101 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 39 | 5/13/25 | 89 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 40 | 5/13/25 | 104 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 41 | 5/13/25 | 104 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 42 | 5/13/25 | 70 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 43 | 5/13/25 | 90 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 44 | 5/13/25 | 109 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 45 | 5/13/25 | 102 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 46 | 5/13/25 | 112 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 47 | 5/13/25 | 106 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 48 | 5/13/25 | 86 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 49 | 5/13/25 | 88 | June 27 - July 12 | ||
| 50 | 5/13/25 | 105 | June 27 - July 12 |
Public Hatchling Releases
Hatchling releases are an incredible opportunity to see endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles beginning their journey.
Our number one priority is to make sure sea turtle hatchlings make it to the Gulf of Mexico as soon as they hatch. Generally, it happens right in the middle of the night. However, sometimes hatchlings emerge as the sun is rising, and we are able to hold a public release. Your chance of seeing a public hatchling release increases when a lot of nests are expected to hatch at the same time.
Releases are held during the season (June – August). Nature is unpredictable and we can’t predetermine the exact time hatchlings will emerge, though we can give roughly estimated date. These dates are published during the season on our nesting calendar.
Below are our frequently asked questions.
June through to August.
We are not able to predetermine or schedule releases in advance.
Our nesting calendar can help provide estimates – the more nests we have hatching at one time, the more likely we are to have a public release.
Public hatchling releases will be announced through our Facebook account.
A post will be made on our Facebook account on the morning of a release. We have two possible release times of 6:45 and 7:45 am.
In the best interest of the hatchlings, we release as soon as nests hatch. The unpredictable timing of nature means we cannot predetermine release days and times.
It’s free, although spots are limited. Plan to arrive early.
No. Sea turtles are state and federally are protected. Only permitted individuals are allowed to handle sea turtles by law.
Public Patient Release
Rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured sea turtles is a key part of our mission.
Patients stay in our hospital to recover and complete their treatment, which vary depending on the severity of their injuries. When they’re healthy and strong, we release them out into the Laguna Madre, or into the Gulf – both being a natural habitat for sea turtles on South Padre Island.
Public patient releases are an exciting way to engage our community in our rehabilitation work. Public patient releases most often occur in the warmer months like Summer and Spring, though we may have a winter release as the result of a cold stun.
Public patient releases are planned in accordance with our permits. Conditions must be appropriate for a release, and therefore are announced at varying times throughout the Spring and Summer.
Public patient releases will be announced by posting on our Facebook account. We will create a Facebook event with specific details.
Release locations vary, please see our Facebook event or social media posts for details.
Our release locations have free parking, though spots may be limited. We recommend arriving early.
No. Sea turtles are state and federally are protected. Only permitted individuals are allowed to handle sea turtles by law.
Be the first to know when we're having a sea turtle release!
Members receive a text message notification as soon as a hatchling release is announced early in the morning!
