Sea turtle nesting on a Ventura beach marks a first. What we know
A rare sea turtle discovered nesting on San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura over the weekend marked a new first. Just weeks earlier, wildlife officials confirmed the first-ever recorded natural nesting for any sea turtle species on the U.S. West Coast. Both were olive ridley turtles . The turtles known for their heart-shaped shells normally stick to areas farther south in Mexico. But in September, the two turtles nested in Orange County. The first was spotted digging a nest and laying eggs near Seal Beach, officials said. Days later, a second turtle was discovered nesting near the Huntington Beach Pier, around 8 miles away. Experts said the exact reasons why the turtles showed up were unknown but called it likely that the warmer waters caused by a marine heat wave and El Niño were key factors. Navigational errors by the nomadic, highly migratory turtles also may have contributed, officials said. Now, a third sea turtle was found – this time, in a sandy spot in Ventura not far from the pier. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the discovery as the first-ever recorded natural nesting in Ventura County and the northern most known olive ridley sea turtle nest. Turtle
