Sea Turtle Nests On OC Beach For The First Time In CA History, Experts Say

SEAL BEACH, CA — A sea turtle currently nesting on an Orange County beach is the first known sea turtle on record to nest naturally anywhere on the West Coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries announced Monday.

The olive ridley sea turtle was seen digging a nest and laying eggs near Seal Beach in Orange County on Wednesday, Sept. 16, officials said.

Three days later, a sea turtle was also seen a few miles south of the Huntington Beach Pier, though experts do not know if the sightings involved two different sea turtles or the same one.

"Our team of local, state and federal partners will monitor the nesting sites throughout the incubation period, which typically lasts for 45-60 days," Administration officials said. "Both areas are fenced, protected and have interpretive signage."

Experts urged beachgoers to steer clear and not disturb the highly-sensitive locations.

According to experts, olive ridley turtles are the smallest of the sea turtles. Adults typically weight up to 100 pounds, and are about two and-a-half to three inches in length.

The sea turtles are found worldwide, but primarily in the tropical waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Residents who encounter a nesting turtle were advised to keep their distance and obey the surrounding signage.

This isn't the first uncommon critter to show up on SoCal shores this summer.

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Over the past two weeks, residents have reported sightings of both rattlesnakes and yellow-bellied sea snakes on the shores of Crystal Cove State Beach in Newport Beach.

Hammerhead sharks have been spotted off Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, while a whale shark was seen off Malibu and mahi-mahi, also known as dorado, were spotted near the Southern Channel Islands, Natural History Museum officials said.

A longfinned bigeye caught off the Venice Fishing Pier has also been added to the museum’s collection. The species is typically found from Baja California to Peru, according to the National History Museum's Ichthyology Curator Bill Ludt.

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The seldom-seen animals are appearing in Southern California waters as warmer waters linked to El Niño reshape conditions along the coast, according to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Previous periods of unusually warm ocean water have brought tropical species including damselfishes, pufferfishes and angelfishes north from Mexico, the museum said.

El Niño can also affect more familiar animals. Reduced cold-water upwelling can limit food for seals and sea lions, while toxic algal blooms can increase the risk of domoic acid poisoning, which can cause seizures and other serious health problems.

Residents who encounter a sea turtle were urged to call the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries hotline at 562-506-4315.

Patch staffer Chris Lindahl contributed to this article.