Some 85 critically endangered Hawksbill turtle hatchlings emerged from their nest on Sentosa’s Siloso Beach last night.
The hatchlings were safely released into the sea at about 6.30am today after a check on their health by Sentosa Development Corporation’s (SDC) Environmental Management team.
One of the 85 critically endangered Hawksbill turtle hatchlings that was safely released at Sentosa | Image source: Sentosa Development Corporation
The Hawksbill turtle eggs at Siloso Beach hatched 58 days after their nest was discovered on 3 September 2021.
As part of SDC’s commitment to sustainability, a temporary “home” was carefully built over the in-situ nest within a day of the discovery, to keep the eggs safe from natural predators such as monitor lizards and crabs, human encroachment, as well as other potential disturbances during the incubation period.
SDC also conducted periodic checks to ensure that the nest was safe.
Temporary “homes” were carefully built over the in-situ nests to keep the eggs safe during the incubation
period, complete with information on all guests need to know about the Hawksbill turtle. | Image source: Sentosa Development Corporation
Today’s hatching marks the sixth time since 1996 that eggs of the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle have hatched at Sentosa, with similar conservation efforts also undertaken to protect the eggs in other recent nests.
An SDC staff monitoring the temperature of the nest and checking on the condition of the “home”. | Image source: Sentosa Development Corporation
For the first time in recent years, two Hawksbill turtle nests have been discovered in Sentosa in a short span of about two weeks. The other nest, which is at Palawan Beach, is expected to hatch in the coming weeks.
If you spot a turtle nest in Sentosa, please inform SDC at 1800-SENTOSA (7368672). Guests are advised to keep their distance and not to shine lights on a turtle if they see one, as doing this could confuse and scare away the turtle, hindering it from laying eggs.
For more information on what to do if you see a turtle on Sentosa’s beaches, please visit: https://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/get-inspired/sentosa-guides/sentosa-turtle-encounters/