Olive Ridley Turtle Nests on California Beach in First for US West Coast

An olive ridley sea turtle has laid eggs on a Southern California beach, the first recorded natural nesting by any sea turtle species on the US West Coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's West Coast Fisheries division said.

The first clutch was discovered near Seal Beach on September 16, after lifeguards on night patrol spotted a turtle digging in the sand. Three days later, on September 19, eggs were found a few miles away near the Huntington Beach Pier in Orange County. Officials believe the same turtle may have laid both clutches.

Both sites have since been fenced off. According to NOAA, incubation typically takes 45 to 60 days.

"We're excited about it," said Trevor McDonald, marine safety chief at the Huntington Beach Fire Department. He said the guards initially feared the turtle was unwell because such sightings are so rare, before they watched it begin to lay eggs.

Olive ridley turtles are the smallest sea turtle species, with adults reaching up to 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms). They are found worldwide but mainly in the tropical waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Word of the nest drew visitors to Huntington Beach. Heidi Stephen, who brought her nine-year-old son Jude to see it on Tuesday, called the experience "so magical." George Zamora said he hoped the eggs would survive tides, storms and the beach's busy event calendar. "Let them do their thing," he said. "Let them be born."