In September 2026, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved two sea turtle egg nests from beaches in Orange County to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach to protect them from flooding caused by tropical storm Rachel.
Officials explained that the nests were at risk of being inundated by high surf and waves associated with the storm.
The relocation follows recent storms and pounding surf that have damaged Southern California shorelines and spurred protective measures for vulnerable wildlife.