F rom within the gloomy depths of tragedy associated with the Gulf oil spill, thousands of tiny ambassadors of hope have begun to emerge.

They are sea turtle hatchlings – relocated from the northern Gulf coast to south Florida and released safely into the Atlantic Ocean.

The turtles hatched at a Kennedy Space Center facility, after making the journey south from the Florida Panhandle and Alabama.

The hatchlings’ destiny is not entirely safe, as only about one in 1,000 will reach adulthood. But it’s certainly better than the crude fate awaiting them in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We would have 100 percent mortality if the hatchlings were not able to be translocated,” said Jeff Tandahi of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Biologists have been relocating thousands of eggs from Northwest Florida, and the rest of the Gulf coast, since July.

Gulf Island National Seashore District Biologist Mark Nicholas carefully places a Kemp’s Ridley turtle egg in a cooler to be relocated away from the harm of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. Scott Page/Splash! The effort to rescue the tiny turtles has truly been one of monumental scale.

Officials from the National Parks Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) on July 23 successfully relocated the first of 11 sea turtle nests from the Gulf Island National Seashore Fort Pickens area.

Acting Seashore Superintendent Nina Kelson said the relocation effort was "unprecedented for the National Park Service."

The FWC explained of the importance of the relocations in a news release.

"This unprecedented action is being undertaken because it is far riskier to allow the nests to remain in place and face the possibility that an entire group or cohort of sea turtles could perish," the FWC said in a release.

In total, 89 Kemp's Ridley turtle eggs were recovered from the nest, put into coolers and transported to a NASA incubation facility near Cape Canaveral.

"Kennedy is uniquely situated on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Canaveral National Seashore. We are home to many species of protected wildlife and we hope to provide these sea turtles with a better chance of survival," said Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana.

Over 25,000 eggs had reached the center over 13,000 hatchlings were released before the effort was suspended in late August.

Losing an entire generation of hatchlings in the oil spill would have done harm to an already suffering global population of sea turtles, as all seven species are endangered or threatened.

Five of the seven sea turtle species cruise the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, eventually visiting the shores of Northwest Florida to nest each summer. They include the loggerhead, green, hawksbill, leatherback and Kemp's Ridley turtles.

The Kemp's Ridley is the smallest, weighing around 100 pounds with a top shell of up to 28 inches. The leatherback is the largest.

Turtle populations have been in decline in recent years, and preserving their habitat and giving eggs the opportunity to hatch is critical to the future of the species.

The relocations seem to be paying off, and relocated eggs are faring better than those in nature, with more than 80 percent of the hatchlings having hatched.

FedEx transported the eggs on their 500-mile journey in a specially designed climate-control trailer.

"It keeps the temperature at 85 degrees," said Mark Nicholas, district biologist for the National Seashore. "The eggs need to be kept between 80 and 90 degrees to prevent any damage."

Nicholas was one of many biologists present at the relocation, which was narrowly finished before a powerful thunderstorm drenched Pensacola Beach.

He says the environmental impact of the oil spill has already begun to affect turtle populations.

"There's been quite an increase in adult and juvenile mortality rates recently," Nicholas said. "It's not clear what percentage of that is attributed to the oil spill, but it's certainly clear the rate is rising."

The life history of sea turtles places them at heightened risk due to the intersection of their behavior with areas where oil collects. Ingested oil may harm their internal organs; oil covering a turtle's body could interfere with breathing; oil can get into cavities such as eyes, nostrils or mouth; and turtles can become physically impaired or overwhelmed by tar patties.

"The hatchlings are at highest risk," Nicholas said. "They live near the surface and that's exactly where the oil is."

The sea turtle eggs that have been relocated are hatching at a better rate than those in nature. More than 80 percent of hatchlings have hatched. Photos courtesy of NASA The hatchlings already face a perilous journey in their quest to reach adulthood, and additional human stress of such major proportion could significantly damage the already-dwindling population.

Consequently, officials decided to relocate the eggs despite the risk of damaging them.

"We had to determine the best course of action, given the extraordinary circumstances of this oil spill," said Dr. Robbin Trindell, FWC's sea turtle management coordinator. "If we left the hatchlings to fend for themselves, they would face certain death.

"While the system we've devised will give them at least some chance for survival, it is important to note that relocating nests at any time is also very risky and would only be considered during an unprecedented disaster such as the Deepwater Horizon Incident," Trindell added.

Though the relocations are proceeding with success, it is important to note that the oil disaster's long-term effects on turtle populations are presently unknown.

"Right now, we can only speculate as to what the long-term effects will be," Nicholas explained. "I certainly don't think any (of the effects) will be good."

For now, it seems the unprecedented efforts of those involved with the relocations have circumvented some of the oil spill’s negative effects on turtle populations.

It’s another very important chapter in the ongoing saga to protect these majestic creatures and the marine environments they depend on.