Rare Kemp Ridley sea turtle spotted nesting in St. Augustine Beach

St. Augustine Beach Turtle Patrol found a rare Kemp Ridley sea turtle making her nest Thursday afternoon.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Action News Jax was alerted of the nesting by Mickler’s Beach Turtle Patrol, who was so excited that they had to share the news for their St. Augustine Beach friends.

Kemp Ridley sea turtles are the smallest and most endangered sea turtles in the world. According to Mickler’s Beach Turtle Patrol, they are day nesters meaning they tend to prefer nesting during the day instead of at night like other sea turtle species.

Read: Scene clear after suspicious device found in bar parking lot in Columbia County, police say

These turtles typically only nest in Texas and Mexico, but each year, Florida sees a couple of nests. Last year, Florida got 6 Kemp Ridley nests.

Locally, the beach near Sawgrass Beach Club got a Kemp Ridley nest in 2017, but that was the last time a local beach saw one.

The nest was marked and will continue to be monitored by the Turtle Patrol and FWC.

Read: Jaguars Stadium deal framework finalized, residents concerned of impact to historic neighborhoods

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter ]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.