First California Turtle Nesting
Rare Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Nest on California Beaches for the First Time
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Two olive ridley sea turtles nested on Southern California beaches within three days in September, the first documented sea turtle nesting on the U.S. West Coast. Scientists say the turtles may have been influenced by unusual ocean conditions, but two nests do not prove a climate-driven shift in nesting range. California has declared a statewide emergency as officials prepare for a potentially powerful El Niño season, warning of heavy rain, flash floods and coastal erosion. Researchers and local authorities are also concerned about worsening beach erosion, cliff collapses and coastal flooding along the San Diego coast, with one report citing possible sea-level increases of several inches. Officials are urging residents to prepare homes and finances ahead of storms, while coverage of the 1982 El Niño points to past experience as a source of lessons for Bay Area readiness.
Key Points
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Scientists confirmed the Seal Beach and Huntington Beach nests were made by two different turtles by comparing photographs of body shape, barnacle locations, and shell-scale patterns.
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Authorities fenced off both nesting sites and are monitoring them through the turtles’ typical 45- to 60-day incubation period.
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Researchers are considering several possible reasons for the turtles’ appearance, including unusually warm coastal water, this year’s El Niño, recent hurricane activity, and navigational error.
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Climate research offers a mixed picture: a 2026 modeling study projected that suitable olive ridley nesting habitat could move poleward under some climate scenarios, but not all; turtles’ tendency to return to familiar nesting areas may also slow such a shift.
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