Sea turtle laying eggs at Huntington Beach is first known instance of nesting on West Coast

Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times on Sep 22, 2026

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LOS ANGELES — Sea turtles have been sighted laying eggs on the sand in Huntington Beach — the first known instance of a sea turtle of any species spontaneously nesting on the U.S. West Coast.

On Sept. 16, Huntington Beach Fire Department Marine Safety lifeguards were notified of a sea turtle sighting near Seal Beach. When they investigated, it appeared the animal was laying eggs, a Huntington Beach spokesperson said in a statement on X. After fencing off the area, the lifeguards notified the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Three days later, lifeguards received reports of another sea turtle sighting just south of the Huntington Beach Pier. This turtle was also observed laying eggs. Officials from NOAA arrived Sunday to inspect the site and build a more secure fence around the area. It is not yet clear if the nests were laid by the same turtle or two separate animals, NOAA said in a statement.

The observed animals are olive ridley sea turtles, a small sea turtle species that can grow up to 100 pounds and 3 feet in length. The nests will remain fenced and monitored throughout the incubation period, which is typically 45 to 60 days, NOAA said.

Nesting populations of olive ridley sea turtles are found in Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. While they've been spotted in Southern California before, this is the first known case of the species nesting in the United States.

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