Federal biologists to release dozens of endangered baby sea turtles into Texas Gulf waters

Feds to release endangered sea turtles into Gulf

PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE, Texas — Federal biologists in Texas are set to release dozens of endangered baby sea turtles into the Gulf of Mexico despite the oil fouling the waters 400 miles away.

The Kemp’s ridley turtle hatchlings are to be released early Monday. They’re between 1 and 4 days old.

Hundreds of the hatchlings have been released since the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service decided in June to proceed with the annual releases because Texas hasn’t been hard hit by the BP oil spill.

The decision has stirred controversy among some scientists, environmentalists and turtle lovers. But others say there should only be intervention with animals directly in the oil’s path, like loggerhead turtles in Florida that are being moved to safer waters.