Kemp's ridley turtle hatchling release

At dawn on June 28, I photographed an official release at Padre Island National Seashore of endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings. The Park Service incubates the eggs until they emerge from the nest, then releases them into the Gulf - and invites the public to witness it. This particular release came on the heels of BP Oil Spill funding being funneled towards PINS' turtle conservation program, so this clutch of hatchlings received more fanfare from the media than most.
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