Endangered turtles show up on La. barrier islands

Officials from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced the observance of endangered sea turtle hatchlings on the Chandeleur Islands for the third consecutive year.
Trail cameras on the islands captured more than 60 loggerhead hatchlings emerging from nests at two different sites on the Chandeleur Islands, one day apart from each other. Researchers have conducted nesting surveys for endangered sea turtles for the last three years as part of the ongoing engineering and design efforts for a project to restore and enhance the remote barrier island chain. A total of 28 crawls were documented in the 2024 nesting season, with 15 nests confirmed.
“The return of these turtles year after year highlights how important the restoration of the Chandeleur Islands is to protecting the vital nesting habitats of these endangered species,” said CRPA Chairman Gordon “Gordy” Dove. “In addition to providing a safe place for these turtles and other wildlife to nest and thrive, the barrier island chain also protects inland communities by serving as a first line of defense against storm surges and hurricanes.”
The presence of sea turtle hatchlings on the Chandeleur Islands was first discovered in August 2022 when endangered Kemp's ridley hatchlings were observed crawling towards the Gulf. Prior to this finding, the species hadn't been observed on the islands in over 75 years.
Since 2022, 136 sea turtle crawls have been recorded on the islands, establishing it as one of the highest-density nesting beaches in the northern Gulf of Mexico and the only sea turtle nesting area in Louisiana. Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtles are now all documented to be nesting on the islands.
The barrier islands along Louisiana’s easternmost point gained national prominence when President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order in 1904 creating the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, which includes North Breton Island and the Chandeleur Islands.