Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) confirmed that the hatchlings emerged on Saturday (Mar 7) after a 63-day incubation period at the Upper Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center.
The nest was first discovered on Jan 3 when local residents reported that a green sea turtle had come ashore to lay eggs on Karon Beach. A total of 124 eggs were found at the site.
DMCR officers inspected the nesting area but determined that the location was highly vulnerable to disturbance and potential environmental damage. To improve the chances of survival, the eggs were carefully relocated to the research centre for controlled incubation and monitoring.
After 63 days, officials reported that 79 hatchlings had successfully emerged from the eggs. Examination of the remaining eggs found that 43 were unfertilised, while two embryos had stopped developing.
Authorities reported a hatching rate of 97.53% and a survival rate of 100% among the hatchlings.
Officials will now continue to care for the young turtles at the research centre until they grow stronger and reach a suitable size before being released back into the sea, increasing their chances of surviving in the wild.
According to the DMCR, the discovery of sea turtles nesting and successfully hatching along Phuket’s coastline is considered an important indicator of a healthy marine ecosystem.
Officials also noted that the successful protection of the nest reflected cooperation between local communities and government agencies in helping safeguard rare marine wildlife and protect Thailand’s coastal resources.