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An unseen female sea turtle crawled onto the South Padre Islands sandy beach and laid 90 eggs Saturday morning, June 12 at 10:30 a.m. approximately, according to Mrs. Ida Loet cher. The turtle tracks were discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Earl Lippoldt at 11 a.m. when they were making their regular patrol runs. Mrs. Turtle had returned to the sea but Lippoldt said the tracks were vivid and fresh. The blowing sand hadn't had time to fill them which meant the eggs had been laved sometime between 9:30 and 11 a.m. It usually takes the mother about 55 minutes to unload her eggs and slowly lumber back to sea, said Mrs. Leetcher. The group of volunteers working on the Ridley turtle project say they were quite certain that the turtle nest is that of a Ridley turtle. The Ridley sea turtle is the only species that nests during the daylight hours. All other species nest during the dark of night. After measurements and pictures were taken of the tracks both, Kavanaugh Francis and her Lippoldt estimated the turtle to be 26 inches in width which is the average size for a mature Ridley femme. The location of the nest laying was 12 miles north of the Andy Bowie Park which was within the area considered as the Ridley Turtle habitat or rookery. With the aid of Francis and Dearl Adams the Lippoldts promptly moved the eggs to the “nest compound” located at the Ridley Turtle hen camp known as Ranchita Tortuga. This camp is nine miles north of Andy Bowie county park. A wire en casement was put around the eggs and 24 hour a day watch scheduled by the members of the turtle patrole to last through the 54 days which is the incubation period. When the eggs are hatched all deformed turtles or weaklings will be turned over to Mrs. Ila Loetscher, known as the Turtle Lady of South Padre Island. They will be given special care by Mrs. Loetscher and will be seen at her public showings as a conservational and educational program. All healthy little babies will be allowed to immediately go to sea gulls. On May 10, by an order of the Cameron County Com missioners Court the beach area north of the last road to Cameron Willacy County line was closed to most motor vehicles ,daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This order was later rescinded as a Cameron County district attorney held female could lay her eggs. It was a rainy day with very high tides which made the beach inadequate to motor vehicles other than four wheel drives. The sea turtle that came in on June 12 similar conditions. The high tide was..9 of a foot above normal, with 25 to 30 mile an hour winds blowing the water high on the beach travel was slow and rough. So the Ridley female had a closed beach gratis of mother nature which allowed her to quietly lay her eggs and return safely to the sea, said Mrs. Loetscher.
Newspaper Details
Port Isabel South Padre Press
Port Isabel, Texas, US
Thu, Jun 17, 1976
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USA 30 Dec 2025
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