Two different olive ridley sea turtles laid eggs at Seal Beach and Huntington Beach in Orange County within a week, marking the first documented nesting on the US West Coast. Scientists say it is too soon to know whether the sightings signal a northward shift.
Researchers are weighing warmer coastal waters, other effects of El Niño and the possibility that a recent hurricane blew the turtles off course; no cause has been established. Aquarium of the Pacific veterinarian Lance Adams said two sightings are too few to establish a trend, though more turtles could come ashore in the next 30 to 90 days while nesting season continues. Adams said warmer incubation temperatures produce more female turtles; above about 87.8F, hatchlings are almost all female.
Officials have fenced the nests, whose eggs typically take 45 to 60 days to hatch. NOAA’s California stranding coordinator Justin Viezbicke said coyotes, human interference, high tides and hurricane swells could threaten the eggs; swells and high tides are expected as soon as the following Monday. Adams advised people to stay at least 50 feet away from turtles and not interfere with them.
