Historic First Nesting on the U.S. West Coast
An endangered olive ridley sea turtle has been confirmed to have laid eggs twice along the Orange County coast in a historic first for the region. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, this marks the first time a natural nesting by an olive ridley sea turtle has ever been documented along the U.S. West Coast.
Details of the Seal Beach and Huntington Beach Nests
The first nest was discovered on September 16, 2026, when the turtle was filmed laying eggs and covering them with sand in Seal Beach. Just three days later on September 19, a turtle believed to be the same female was confirmed nesting near the Huntington Beach Pier. Each nest is estimated to contain between 50 and 100 eggs, with incubation expected to take 45 to 60 days. Authorities have installed protective fencing and warning signs around the nests, urging the public to keep their distance as reported by ABC7.
