One nesting turtle was found mortally wounded with a large, severe open wound in her upper shell.  This turtle died at the scene and was taken to the Gladys Porter Zoo, where examination revealed the turtle had been cracked open and her spine severed by a heavy object, such as a vehicle, at that site and within an hour of when she was found.  The injury occurred while the female was sitting over the nest cavity attempting to deposit eggs.  After she died, 65 eggs were retrieved from her ovaries and deposited into a protective corral in the hopes that some of them may hatch.  This turtle was tagged and had been documented nesting once before in 2008 and twice in 2006.  This is the second adult nesting female found mortally wounded on South Padre Island in 2008.  Both turtles were tagged and had been previously documented nesting in this project area.  Both turtles appear to have been killed by vehicles on the beach. 

Through the end of June, a total of 52 sea turtle nests have been documented through this project, including 51 Kemp’s ridley and 1 green sea turtle nest.  As of the end of June, 28 sea turtle nests have hatched in the protective corral.  These 28 nests included 2,701 eggs and resulted in 2,183 hatchlings, .  Fourteen public hatchling releases attended by approximately 5,830 visitors have been held thus far.  The total of 52 sea turtle nests represents more than double the previous record of 23 sea turtle nests found in this same area last year.