Rare sea turtle eggs near hatching after historic Southern California nesting event

More than 200 olive ridley turtle eggs reached approximately 30 days of incubation at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Downtown Long Beach after nests were discovered on Orange County beaches,  possibly hatching in the upcoming weeks. 

According to the City of Seal Beach Marine Chief  Joe Bailey, two nests were discovered in the Surf side area of Seal Beach on Sept. 16 and near a lifeguard station in Huntington Beach on Sept. 19, making it the first documented sea turtle nesting on the U.S. West Coast. 

“In our (Seal Beach) Surfside area we had a turtle come up on the beach, we responded, took some photos and videos, then sent the information to the experts at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),” said Bailey.

^{Endangered olive ridley sea turtle eggs sit buried after their mother nested Sept. 16 and then moved to incubate at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Ca. due to the fear of upcoming severe weather forecasts. The eggs are being kept at temperatures between 85 and 86 degrees inside cooler chambers and are being monitored as they prepare for the hatching process. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

After sending in the information to NOAA, it was confirmed the eggs were identified as the endangered olive ridley sea turtles.

“It’s really exciting for our lifeguards and I know our local community,” said Bailey.

The event has caught the attention of many local area residents and environmental activists like   Jeannette Hang who’s concerned about whether there is a bigger environmental issue at hand.

“I also volunteer for the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach and my concern is global warming. There’s no doubt that this is an indication, and to me, a danger sign, that global warming is happening,” Hang said.

Despite his optimism, Bailey shared similar concerns emphasizing there is a 50/50 chance of the eggs hatching.

“There are some possibilities that because this isn’t their normal place (to nest eggs), that it might be too cold, we might have some surf forecast or the nest might get inundated with water, I’ve been told by experts its like a 50-50 chance of being successfully hatching turtles,” Bailey said.

The Seal Beach site is a hidden walk towards a private beach area, but there is no way of knowing if this is not the first time olive ridley turtles have laid eggs here before due to the low amount of foot traffic in the area.

^{Southern California residents Mark Groshon, left, from Orange, Ca., and Jeannette Hang, right, from Huntington Harbor, Ca., were drawn to the coastal waters to witness the historic nesting of the endangered olive ridley sea turtles eggs Sept. 23, in the Surfside area of Seal Beach. Another nest was discovered in Huntington Beach, Ca., near lifeguard station 15. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

“But, my first thought walking up here was, thank goodness somebody saw this because we would never have known,” Reina Evans said, a local Long Beach resident who came to visit the site in Seal Beach just two days before a major decision was made to relocate the clutches.

The news coverage has increased the number of people arriving to witness the actual nesting site like Mark Groshon from Orange, CA.

“Seeing this on the news and then seeing that it has never happened before where (turtles) lay their eggs here. This is supposed to happen down in the tropics, like southern Mexico, but they came here,” Groshon said.

Groshon shared his excitement witnessing a once in a lifetime event such as this and how he wanted to come and, “Just see it and take a picture and share it with my friends.”

With severe weather and the 2026 Pacific Airshow scheduled for Oct. 2-4, forced biologists and care specialists to move the eggs to the Aquarium of the Pacific on Sept. 25, for close monitoring of their development.

^{A second endangered olive ridley sea turtle nest was discovered in Huntington Beach, Ca., where officials quarantined the nest with a temporary mesh covering and a wired perimeter to protect the eggs until their hatching in early to mid November. Southern California residents came to witness this historic nesting of the endangered olive ridley sea turtles eggs Sept. 23, near lifeguard station 15. (Diosa Hippolyta)}

“Currently, the eggs are incubating at about 85 to 86 degrees and we are just waiting to see what happens. So far, so good, no problems,” said  Lance Adams, director of veterinary services at the Aquarium of the Pacific in his phone interview with the Viking News.

Adams leads the veterinary team and oversees health care, routine exams, major surgeries, and wildlife rehabilitation for the aquarium’s animal collection.

His work includes aquatic animal medicine, specialized procedures, and rescuing and rehabilitating local wildlife like endangered sea turtles.

As of Oct. 19, the eggs have been incubating for just over 30 days.

Olive ridley eggs typically take 45 to 60 days to hatch, placing the anticipated hatching period in late October through November, depending on the eggs’ development.

According to officials at the aquarium, the eggs are in coolers in a private location at the Aquarium of the Pacific and are being carefully monitored for the upcoming hatchings.

“Due to the temperature control and regulations, no press is allowed in the room with the eggs, which are in closed coolers,” said Marilyn Padilla, director of public relations for the Aquarium of the Pacific.