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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →If you see a sea turtle on a California beach, report it to NOAA Fisheries using the submission form linked from its September 25, 2026 guidance, call (562) 506-4315, or notify a lifeguard. For a sick, injured, entangled, stranded, or dead turtle, use NOAA’s California stranding responder roster to find the contact for your county and the animal’s condition. If you cannot identify the right local contact, call the West Coast regional hotline at 1-866-767-6114.
If you see a turtle nesting or a possible nest
Report a turtle seen on a California beach through NOAA’s submission form linked from its California nesting guidance, by calling (562) 506-4315, or by notifying lifeguards. Do not touch or approach the turtle, eggs, hatchlings, or nest area. Leave protective fencing and interpretive signs in place, and follow directions from lifeguards or responders.
NOAA reported two olive ridley nesting events in Orange County in September 2026: one near Seal Beach on September 16 and another near Huntington Beach Pier three days later, about eight miles away. NOAA described them as the first recorded sea turtle nests of any species on the U.S. West Coast. The reason for the nesting events was uncertain, so do not treat any proposed explanation as established fact. The report form is linked from NOAA’s article; use that official page rather than an unverified form link.
If you find a stranded, injured, entangled, or dead turtle
Contact the local stranding network immediately. NOAA’s California responder roster lists county coverage and separates live-animal response from dead-animal response. Choose the listing for the turtle’s county and condition; a contact may differ depending on whether the animal is alive or dead. Recheck NOAA’s page for current numbers because the roster can change.
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If the local listing is unclear, call NOAA’s West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 1-866-767-6114. The roster illustrates why county and condition matter: it lists SeaWorld of California for live response in San Diego County at (800) 541-7325 and NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center for dead turtles there at (858) 546-7162. For Orange County, it lists Pacific Marine Mammal Center for both live and dead response at (949) 494-3050. Check the full roster rather than relying on these examples for another location.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What information to give responders
Share the clearest details you can without moving closer to the turtle. NOAA’s West Coast reporting map recommends having:
- The specific beach or location, nearby landmarks, and GPS coordinates if available.
- Whether the animal is alive, dead, injured, or entangled.
- The date and time you saw it.
- An estimate of its size.
- Photos taken from a safe distance.
NOAA’s general stranding guidance says bystanders should stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) from a stranded marine animal. Do not handle or move the turtle, approach for a closer photograph, or let pets near it. If you can do so safely, remain far enough away to help responders identify the location when they arrive.
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