Protection of seas and oceans, Turtle, fish from thailand with the Asian Diving Club Padi/Cmas/Adip 5* IDC Dive Accademy Thailand Diving Pattaya

In lowland nesting season, sea turtles are back in Pukhet (Thailand),  GEO reports . A green sea turtle has been spotted on the islet of Koh Maiton, near Puhket, digging a nest on a deserted beach. She laid a hundred eggs there before returning to the sea and leaving her babies, who will be born within two months, to reach the depths of the sea alone. Unfortunately, only one in 1,000 hatched eggs becomes an adult turtle,  GEO reminds .

Despite everything, there is hope in Thailand, where five species of turtles live (leatherback, green, hawksbill, olive ridley, loggerhead). And for good reason: since the start of the pandemic, more of them have come to nest in the kingdom. “ Their nesting has improved over the past two years thanks to the absence of tourists, noise and light pollution ,” Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, director of the Phuket Marine Biology Center, told AFP. Before the crisis, millions of visitors rushed to the Thai seaside resort, thus causing major nuisances such as the concreting of the coasts or the overabundance of speedboats. The forced shutdown of tourism has allowed nature to regain its rights.

Between October 2020 and February 2021, 18 leatherback turtle nests were found in Phuket. It is the largest species of sea turtle, weighing almost 400 kg when fully grown. “ We had never seen such a number for 20 years ,” rejoices Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong. An olive ridley nest was also spotted, the first in 20 years. A similar phenomenon has also been observed in India, the Philippines and the United States.

endangered species

While these turtle sightings are encouraging, scientists are tempering their optimism as Thailand tentatively begins to reopen its borders to tourists. “The pandemic may offer sea turtles a healthy break ,” Thon Thamrongnawasawat of Kasetsart University in Bangkok told  AFP . Except that these animals live a long time, up to a hundred years for some species. "Without an effective policy to protect them, we do not expect the Covid crisis to have a real long-term impact,"  he continues.

Worldwide, the future of these species is strongly threatened by global warming, which is harming coral reefs and impacting the distribution of sexes. Indeed, the warmer a nest, the greater the number of female turtles among the hatchlings. This could upset the population balance. In addition, plastic pollution and litter at sea remain the leading cause of illness and death. “ In 56% of cases, the turtles brought to us either ingested it or got trapped in it ,” explains Dr Patcharaporn Kaewong of the Phuket Marine Biological Center.

In this center, 58 turtles are currently being treated before they can be released into the sea.

Strict legislation to protect turtles

The nesting period runs until February and the scientists, as well as the local authorities, intend to ensure that it goes as well as possible. As soon as a nest is spotted, officers intervene and if the turtle has laid eggs too close to water, which can be dangerous for the eggs, these are moved or sheltered behind bamboo fences. Patrols are regularly organized to ensure that the eggs are safe.

Cameras are also installed near the nests to educate the locals. Until a few decades ago, the consumption of these turtle eggs was authorized and was even a common practice. The collection was banned in 1982 and since then the kingdom has continued to toughen its legislation in this area. Illegal possession or sale of leatherback turtle eggs is now punishable by three to fifteen years in prison and a fine of $10,000 to $50,000. NGOs are also financially rewarding locals who report a nest, reports  GEO .

Although their return to the beaches is good news for biodiversity, the protection of these turtles threatened with extinction requires global mobilization