Wildlife officers keeping watch over the nest noticed the sand above it collapsing yesterday (Jan 13), reported the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR).
The officers kept watch waiting for the first baby turtles to break through the sand but nothing happened. Having waited till midnight, the marine life experts decided to open the nest by removing some of the sand. This led to discovery of ’large and fuzzy roots’ of beachside which prevented the baby turtles could get out.
After the obstacle had been removed, young leatherback turtles were helped out from the nest. 64 of them were strong and healthy to go straight to the sea. Four more remain under veterinary care now, while one was found dead and 37 eggs failed to develop.
The turtles hatched right on time, just around two month after the eggs were laid by their mother on Nov 17. At the time, the nest was the first turtle nest found laid on beaches in the area during the current turtle egg-laying season.
As the nest was in the part of the beach where it could be damaged by the surf, officials moved all the eggs to a safer area.
The new nest was complete with a fence for protection from animals and people, CCTV cameras and thermometers to monitor the ’incubation process’.
The next hatching is expected soon as the second nest was found in the same area of Phang Nga on Nov 30 and the normal incubation period is around 50-60 days.