Egg discovery scotches fear that turtles have abandoned Ao Siam National Park
Staff at Ao Siam National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan have found the first sea turtle nest this year – much later than expected.
A joint patrol by staff from the park and the Siam Marine Rehabilitation Foundation found traces of the nest while searching a beach at the tip of Koh Thalu on Wednesday. The turtle nesting season in the Gulf of Thailand usually lasts from May to July, prompting concern that the sea creatures may have abandoned the park this year.
Those fears evaporated at 8.30am on Wednesday when the patrol discovered a 66-centimetre imprint in the sand left by a mother turtle. The nearby nest was measured at 38cm wide and 32cm deep.
Staff uncovered the nest and found 137 eggs, only one of which was broken. They moved the eggs to the foundation nursery to prevent them from being washed away by waves.
Foundation staff will monitor the eggs around the clock until they are ready to hatch.
