Save the Sea Turtles of Padre Island National Seashore

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Friday, July 19, 2024, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck (where the restrooms are located), down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park, and look over driving directions.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Sunday, July 14, 2024, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck (where the restrooms are located), down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park, and look over driving directions.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

You should probably arrive by 6:00 at the latest! You will need to pay to get in, so if you have a pass be sure you bring it. When you get there, you will go straight to the beach and once they have the three areas set up for the turtle release, you can pick one of the three to watch the hatchlings. Don't wear white. The hatchlings go for the Sun and anything white. Call the hotline before you leave in the morning because if it's canceled, that's the only way to find out.

It's a sea turtle doubleheader!

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Friday, June 28, 2024, and Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck (where the restrooms are located), down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park, and look over driving directions.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

LAST release of the season. Better get in line before 6 AM. There will be long lines, while the park collects fees that don't help the turtle program - but do prevent people from seeing the release.

Last year one of the Rangers was heard to snicker, because a family drove all night from Dallas and missed the release while waiting in line, "Should have been here at 4 AM!

So sad that a popular program, that used to be held dozens of times each summer, is now used to turn people off the turtle program as people are deliberately held up in line.

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck (where the restrooms are located), down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park, and look over driving directions.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

Internships available!

Looking for an internship? We have four exciting internship opportunities waiting for YOU!

We’ve teamed up with the Student Conservation Association to provide these hands-on positions to get you out into the field to learn and complete work that makes a difference in your public lands.

⛏️ Cultural Resources Intern
🐚 Interpretation and Education Intern
🌱 Natural Resources Intern
🐢 Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Intern

These positions have expected dates of September 25, 2023 – March 10, 2024, and when completed qualify for an AmeriCorps Education Award. Benefits include free housing, a one-time relocation travel allowance of $1,100, and a living allowance of $500 per week.

Learn more and apply at the links below:
https://www.thesca.org/position/cultural-resources-intern-po-00735790/
https://www.thesca.org/position/interpretation-and-education-intern-po-00735788/
https://www.thesca.org/position/natural-resources-intern-po-00735791/
https://www.thesca.org/position/sea-turtle-science-and-recovery-intern-po-00735789/

In other news, enjoy this great photo a brown pelican taken by park volunteer Mimi Gorman.

Better catch this release! It may be the last release of the season because we only have a few public releases these days. There used to be over two dozen public releases a year, now the Superintendent just wants this program to go away.

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Monday, July 10, 2023, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck (where the restrooms are located), down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park, and look over driving directions.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

April 30th Sea Turtle release. Note this is not at PINS

Let’s try this again!!! Thanks for all of you understanding about our release attempt last weekend! Hope to see you on Sunday!

Join us for our first public turtle release of the year! We have lots of turtles who are ready to return home. We would love for you to come out to wish them a safe journey home!

The time for today's turtle release is now 2:00 due to the rain.

Due to weather, we will be postponing our sea turtle release until 2 pm today. It will still be held at mile marker 216, in front of the Wyndham CC Resort. Free parking will be available in the windward parking lot. Thank you for your understanding!

Be on the lookout for nesting sea turtles. I hope that there will be some public hatchling releases this year. . .

The turtle flag flew high this weekend, so you know what that means….Kemp’s ridley turtle nests were found at the national seashore!

Before the Kemp’s ridley was listed as an endangered species, they would come ashore en masse mostly in Mexico – their primary nesting grounds - to lay eggs. This event, called an arribada, or arrival, would occur over a period of several days and is a unique behavior exhibited only by the turtles in the Ridley genus (Kemp’s and olive). Here at the national seashore, where a secondary nesting colony was established in the late 1970s to safeguard the Kemp’s ridley from extinction, it is very unlikely that you will see thousands of turtles coming up on to the beach to nest. But the good news is that thanks to conservation efforts, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of at least one nesting!

Until the end of nesting season, regardless of which Texas beach a Kemp’s ridley is found nesting on, the arribada flag will be raised. The flag serves as a visual reminder that because of the turtle’s innate tendency to nest in large groups, there will likely be other turtles nesting on the same day. When you see the turtle flag flying, use extra caution while driving on the beach and report any sea turtle sightings by calling 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535).

This may be the last year that the national park service rescues baby sea turtles.

The beginning of April marks the start of the sea turtle nesting season in south Texas!

From April through early August, biological technicians and volunteers will patrol the national seashore in search of turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs. Patrols happen during the daylight hours because the world’s smallest and most endangered sea turtle species, the Kemp’s Ridley, usually come ashore during the daylight hours to lay eggs. Green and loggerhead sea turtle also nest along the Texas coast but usually come ashore at night.

While out and about on ANY Texas beaches, if you witness a nesting sea turtle, report it by calling 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535). After reporting a sea turtle, please remain at the site until a biologist or trained volunteer arrives. If it is not possible to stay, carefully mark the site by laying pieces of beach debris, such as pieces of wood or other debris, in a large circle around the nest area, not on top of the nest, so that it can be located.

NPS Photo/ Sue Wolfe, Artist in Residence 2018

This may give you a bit of an idea of why things are such a mess at Padre Island National Seashore.

Ashley Meadows (Stingray Girl) gets answers after her experience after bad Stingray wound. Park Superintendent said he will look into it and get back to Ashley.

Do you care about the sea turtles or about your right to drive on the beach?

Meeting #2:
Texas State Aquarium
2710 N. Shoreline Boulevard
Corpus Christi, TX 78402
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Meeting #3:
San Antonio Missions National
Historical Park
Mission San José
6701 San José Drive
San Antonio, TX 78214
Thursday, February 23, 2023
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Go to one of these listening events and make sure those in power hear you.

Whether or not you go in person, you MUST submit a comment!
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=125939

Do you care? Last chance to save the sea turtles . . .

KISS THE SEA TURTLES GOODBYE! The National Park Service is now clearly saying they are going to destroy Kemp’s ridley endangered sea turtles by leaving their nests on the beach and driving will be prohibited on the beach during nesting season. (Maybe you can’t wrap your head around how prohibiting driving is bad, but no sea ...

Press Release.

Citizens for Access and Conservation (CAC)

Position Information on Padre National Seashore (PINS)

National Park Service Proposed NEPA

2/16/2023

We have the pleasure of providing information on the proposed NPS NEPA regarding Padre Island National Seashore.

Title of our Group and background:

Committee of Citizens for Access and Conservation (CAC)

CAC is a Corpus Christi-based, grassroots, not-for-profit, non-political, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to advocating for the enforcement of the Texas Open Beaches Act and preserving public access to Texas Beaches.

This group has defended and protected the rights of Texans to our public beaches, particularly those administrated by the National Park Service (NPS), specifically the Padre Island National Seashore (PINS), since 2009. At that time, NPS attempted to reduce public access rights. The group successfully modified the proposed restrictions and preserved the right of Texans to use their beaches for various recreational and conservation activities.

This background on the NPS pre-NEPA is as follows:

Over the past 40 years, Donna Shaver, PINS Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery program (STSR), has successfully developed unique restoration techniques to assist in the recovery of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The STSR’s success is partially due to U.S. Congressional base money explicitly allocated for her program. Dr. Shaver secured additional monies by writing grant proposals, creating a popular Adopt-A-Turtle donation box, generous donations from local, state, and national non-profit groups, and restoration money from the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill. Her restoration program was scientifically sound, popular and well-suited to our 61 miles of undeveloped beaches. Additionally, the program generated over one million dollars for our Coastal Bend community.

Unfortunately, rival conservation efforts in Florida wanted the BP money awarded to their “pet” projects to recover other sea turtle species that are not as critically endangered as the Kemp’s ridley. So, they manipulated the system and got the NPS to conduct a study on our Turtle program, called the Review, which was only pre-textually concerning Kemp’s ridley. CAC believes the main objective of the Review was to take away the funding BP to get vehicle traffic off Texas Beaches. In Texas, we have fostered and protected the Kemp’s ridley eggs for many years by volunteers that actively patrol looking for a nest. When a nest is discovered, the patrollers relocate the eggs to a captive breeding enclosure for protection from predators. Then, approximately 45-55 days later, the baby sea turtles are released in a publicly protected ceremony. The program has been successful for the sea turtle species and those who use the beach. In 2018, the Corpus Christi Visitor’s Bureau projected that the sea turtle releases generate over one million dollars for our local economy.

The NPS now wants to adopt the scientifically unsound process of leaving the nests in situ or on the beach as they do in Florida. The proposed idea will not work in Texas because of the many natural predators, high tides, and warming sands from climate change.
The Review suggests transferring the U.S. Congressional base funds allocated for the STSR program to other Divisions within the Park. The former superintendent retired and was replaced by a notorious park superintendent from Badlands National Park, Eric Brunnemann. Mr. Brunnemann has a reputation as the “hatchet man” who dismantled the endangered Black- Footed Ferret program.

Attached are details of a pre-NEPA meeting they plan to hold next week. https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?documentID=125939 (COMMENT THRU THE LINK)

Meeting #1 (Reunion 1):
Texas State Aquarium
2710 N .Shoreline Boulevard
Corpus Christi, TX 78402
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Meeting #2 (Reunion 2):
Texas State Aquarium
2710 N. Shoreline Boulevard
Corpus Christi, TX 78402
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Meeting #3 (Reunion 3):
San Antonio Missions National
Historical Park
Mission San José
6701 San José Drive
San Antonio, TX 78214
Thursday, February 23, 2023
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

If this plan goes ahead, the potential cost to our community is outlined in this reparation of 2020. The possible economic cost to the Corpus Christi community was determined. The study found 618,000 park visitors spent an estimated $27.5 million in the local gateway regions while visiting Padre Island National Seashore. These expenditures supported 373 jobs, $10.4 million in labor income, $17.5 million in value-added, and $31.7 million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding Padre Island National Seashore.

We need you to get involved, and please get in touch with us for further information.

Contact Information.
Nick Meyer Email [email protected] Youtube.com/Nickaway
Committee Members of CAC:
Nick Meyer- Breakaway Tackle
Jack Eidman- Lawyer, retired
Paul Swacina- Lawyer
Scott Nelson- Lawyer
Brenda Meyer- Breakaway Tackle
Jan Roberson- Save The Turtles
Frank Floyd- Wind and Wave

ParkPlanning - Pre-NEPA civic engagement ParkPlanning - Pre-NEPA civic engagement

Some residents are trying to stop the National Park Service from taking away our rights.

Public meeting:
Action to protect our access rights.
Padre Island National Seashore proposed restriction to access. Saturday 4 to 6pm at the Hilton Gardens 6717 S.P.I.D. Corpus Christi Texas 78412

Nick Myers, popular local who is in the fishing business, lays out how you're going to lose access to driving down the beach. If you can't drive down the beach, you can't fish 20 miles down the beach.

The National Park Service is seeking comments and you may comment through this link. There are also public meetings that you can attend in San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
https://www.nps.gov/pais/learn/news/beach-management-plan-pre-nepa.htm

Plans to restrict our access. Padre Island National Seashore. Meeting

If you love this park. If you love sea turtles. If you love driving on the beach. If you love surf fishing by yourself and not lined up with everyone else, then you better act now because it's all going away.

You will find a link below for public comment. The time is very limited. They were all also be public meetings.

If you love our Padre Island National Seashore and when I say our I mean everyone in this nation, then you have a very limited time to take any action.

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on the possible development of a beach management plan at Padre Island National Seashore. The NPS will be accepting public input from February 10 – March 14, 2023.

The public is invited to join any of three in-person, open house listening sessions to provide feedback about beach management at the seashore.

Two meetings will be held at the Texas State Aquarium, 2710 N. Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas 78402 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

The third meeting will be held at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Mission San José, 6701 San José Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78214 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/pais/learn/news/beach-management-plan-pre-nepa.htm

This is your LAST chance to save Padre Island National Seashore. If you didn't believe what we said before about how defunding the turtle program was part of a plan to prohibit driving on the beach, this is your LAST chance to believe and take action. More info on the petition SAVEPADRETURTLES.com

Read below for how you can attend public hearings and send in a comment. I believe this is connected to the bill in the Texas Legislature revising the Open Beaches Act. All the barriers are being swept away so these destructive policies can be more easily implemented.

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public input on the possible development of a beach management plan at Padre Island National Seashore. The NPS will be accepting public input from February 10 – March 14, 2023.

The public is invited to join any of three in-person, open house listening sessions to provide feedback about beach management at the seashore.

Two meetings will be held at the Texas State Aquarium, 2710 N. Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas 78402 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

The third meeting will be held at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Mission San José, 6701 San José Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78214 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/pais/learn/news/beach-management-plan-pre-nepa.htm

Just getting into the season . . . the Halloween Season!

Here's A Neat Idea 💡 🐢 🎃

All the more reason why the National Park service should not be dismantling the endangered sea turtle program.

Between April 1 and Aug. 19, a record breaking 282 loggerhead sea turtles have stranded in Texas, mostly in the Coastal Bend, between Calhoun and Kleberg counties. Scientists are investigating the possible causes of the strandings by studying necropsies of stranded dead turtles, tissue and blood samples from living stranded turtles and by conducting environmental analyses. To date, infectious diseases, biotoxins, and fisheries-related captures have been ruled out as potential reasons for the loggerhead strandings.

So what should you do if you are out strolling or driving on the beach and come across a stranded turtle? Call 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535)! Callers should be prepared to describe where the turtle is located, its estimated size and whether it appears to be dead or alive. If possible, callers should stay near the animal to help orient officials and protect the turtle from vehicles or scavengers. After rescue, stranded turtles are taken to US Fish and Wildlife authorized rehabilitation facilities where they are assessed and treated for illness or injury. Once medically cleared by a veterinarian, the turtles are released back into the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information about the loggerhead strandings, please visit
https://www.fws.gov/news
(Photo: D. Shaver)

SAVE THE SEA TURTLES (STST) advocacy group is asking for your support. Please help get Washington D.C.’s attention by signing a postcard. If you signed one in the past, you could sign another. Respond to this post (i.e., “Sign my name, sign my husband’s name, or an emoji sign, etc.). Signing a card will show our support for saving the Sea Turtle Program at Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS). We heard a pre-NEPA approved June 2021 is moving at “lightning speed” and being pushed through just like the Review was in June 2020. The pre-NEPA might be a game changer in how many vehicles can access the beach during sea turtle nesting season (April-September). Federal land belongs to taxpayers. The Texas General Land Office confirmed that federal land is subject to the Texas Open Beaches Act. The Sea Turtle program protects the endangered species and works hand in hand with driving on Texas beaches. Read what is happening at Boca Chica!

https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2022/08/sierra-club-carrizo-comecrudo-tribe-appeal-court-decision-deny-texans-their #:~:text=In%20May%2C%20Sierra%20Club%20and,effectively%20closed%20for%20196%20hours

Anyone in the world can sign and show support for saving the most endangered sea turtle on the planet, the Kemp’s ridley and the Sea Turtle Program. Share with friends, groups, family members, businesses, and neighbors. We will gladly mail your signed postcards to the Director of the NPS, Charles Sams.

Thank you!!!
SAVE THE SEA TURTLES

I thought when I started this petition two years ago that it would make a difference. ( SavePadreTurtles.com ) This petition has changed nothing! The endangered sea turtle program continues to be defunded and dismantled. My voice has not been heard and your voices, all 38,741 of them, have been ignored by the National Park Service.

This year the popular hatchling releases were again rationed to a handful. People drove across the state to see this amazing wonder, only to miss it because they were stuck in line to pay the park admission fee. The fee was never collected on hatchling release mornings before the new superintendent took over.

Not a dime of the admission fees collected during a hatchling release goes to the turtle program and the purpose of collecting the fees appears to be to sour people on the experience of visiting Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) by making them wait in a long line. The park has a problem collecting from hundreds if not thousands of visitors in under an hour, which is why releases were always free before the new superintendent came.

This year there was no public release on Fourth of July weekend, despite there being nests ready. It is the busiest weekend of the year on Padre Island and turtle releases that week can draw thousands. But the National Park Service does not want to draw thousands. They want the public to forget about the hatchling releases.

Dr. Donna Shaver is still being bullied and mistreated to get her to quit. She will not quit because she is the only one protecting the endangered sea turtle program from the National Park Service, but this has not stopped the abuse.

I hope the supporters of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are not giving up either, despite the indifference of the National Park Service. There may even be some good news. PINS Superintendent Eric Brunnemann, who has the hands-on job of destroying the sea turtle program, has been taking orders from Regional Director Michael Reynolds. The Regional Director has just been shunted into a desk job in Washington DC and there is a new Regional Director in Colorado overseeing our Texas seashore!

Please welcome National Park Service Deputy Regional Director Kate Hammond who is now serving as the Acting Regional Director. I suggest sending a nice letter (or a postcard for 40 cents) to let her know what has been happening at Padre Island National Seashore and what you think of the situation. Be respectful because she probably knows nothing about this and may have never heard of our park:

National Park Service Acting Regional Director
Department of the Interior
National Park Service Regional Office
12795 West Alameda Parkway
Lakewood, CO 80228