User talk:Tocaloma

The nesting season of the world's most endangered sea turtle, the Kemp's ridley, has begun on Gulf of Mexico beaches. The Gulf Office of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project is monitoring Texas nestings since the sea turtle which was almost extinct in the mid-80s appears to be making a slow recovery. The most nests are being found near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, in the state of Tamaulipas but more nests are now being found on Texas beaches. From no nests being documented some 20 years ago, last year there were 128 nests found from South Padre Island to the Louisiana border with Texas. So far this year, 23 nests have been found and it is early in the nesting season (April 30, 2008)

The primary problems of the Kemp's ridley have been the focus of cooperation between the Republic of Mexico and the United States for 30 years. Beaches in Mexico are protected from poachers and in the United States not only are beaches protected but shrimp trawls must have Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) installed, ordered by federal law. Poaching in Mexico and drowning in shrimp trawls in U.S. waters have been the greatest causes of mortality to the Kemp's ridley. The slow recovery of the Kemp's ridley is a tribute to the cooperation of the governments of the two countries, its scientists and citizens.Tocaloma (talk) 16:54, 29 April 2008 (UTC)