Two olive ridley sea turtles have nested on the California coast in what scientists describe as the first recorded natural sea-turtle nests on the US West Coast. The first nest was found at Seal Beach on 16 September, followed by a second near Huntington Beach Pier on 19 September.

The eggs were moved to the Aquarium of the Pacific on 25 September because of forecasts of high surf that could have destroyed the nests. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed the sightings as unprecedented for the region.

Scientists believe a super El Nino may have pushed the tropical turtles north into unusually warm waters off California. Olive ridleys typically nest on tropical beaches in Mexico and Central America, and have rarely been seen this far north. Researchers say the nests will be closely monitored, and the discovery could signal shifting wildlife patterns as ocean temperatures change. Conservationists called the event a remarkable moment for marine science on the West Coast.