Rare sea turtles nest near Matanzas Inlet

Beachgoers get rare sighting of the Kemps-Ridley sea turtle

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – Beachgoers on Thursday were treated to the sight of a rare sea turtle laying her eggs near the Matanzas Inlet, according to a Facebook post from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

A Kemps-Ridley sea turtle, which the post referred to as “Mrs. Ridley,” made an egg chamber in the sand about 9:30 a.m. Police established a perimeter for the turtle’s safety.

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Kemps-Ridley turtles normally come to nest on windy days and early in the morning to avoid crowded beaches. The Kemps-Ridley turtles are endangered due to commercial fishing and harvesting of the species, according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

The turtle returned to the ocean an hour later.

The post described the nesting as “The Super Bowl and World Series of sea turtle nesting."