The rare and precious Olive Ridley Turtle laid eggs on Con Dao Beach

Friday - 27/12/2024 15:33

According to information from the Con Dao National Park and Sixsenes Con Dao, around 7 AM on December 14, 2024, a mother turtle weighing about 50 kg came ashore at Dat Doc Beach in Con Dao District (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) to lay 98 eggs before heading back to the sea.

The mother turtle laid 98 eggs on Con Dao Beach and then returned to the sea.
Source: Con Dao National Park - Sixsens Con Dao.

Specifically, at around 7 AM on December 14, 2024, a mother turtle weighing approximately 50 kg emerged on Dat Doc sandy beach to lay 98 eggs. Afterward, the mother turtle was monitored and helped back to the sea safely by the sea turtle rescue team from Sixsens Con Dao.

Con Dao National Park reported that based on the shape and biological characteristics of the mother turtle and input from Ms. Bui Thi Thu Hien - a marine turtle expert from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it has been identified as an olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), which is classified as endangered by the IUCN. The olive ridley turtle is one of five endangered sea turtle species listed in Vietnam's Red Book that are seriously threatened and need conservation efforts.

A promising signal for the recovery of rare sea turtle populations

In an exchange with the Government's Electronic Newspaper, Ms. Bui Thi Thu Hien - marine turtle expert from the IUCN expressed joy, noting that it has been a long time since the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) returned to Vietnam to nest, specifically at Con Dao Beach.

Olive ridley turtles are very rare to nest in Vietnam, although this species nests abundantly in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific region.
Ms. Bui Thi Thu Hien mentioned that turtles usually nest from 2 to 5 times in a breeding season and return to nest after 2 to 5 years, typically at the same spot where they successfully laid eggs in the past. Each nesting, turtles lay a large number of eggs, usually nesting from 2 to 5 times depending on their maturity...
The turtle species that we treasure, not just the hawkbill turtle, is significant to us. Therefore, the presence of a Olive ridley turtle coming ashore to lay eggs at Đất Dốc beach in Côn Đảo district is a wonderful sign, and we hope that this species will return to help restore this rare population of sea turtles in Vietnam.

The mother turtle laid a nest of 98 eggs. Source: Côn Đảo National Park and Sixsen Côn Đảo

Côn Đảo National Park (Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province) is the first place in Vietnam to successfully implement a sea turtle conservation program. The number of sea turtles coming to lay eggs in Côn Đảo accounts for approximately 90% of the sea turtle population in Vietnam.

Since 1994, the management board of Côn Đảo National Park has launched a sea turtle conservation program focusing on three main areas: researching the ecological characteristics of sea turtles; protecting nesting habitats and eggs; and building breeding facilities. Specific action programs include tagging turtles, fitting them with satellite tracking devices, measuring the size of the sea turtles; patrolling, monitoring, cleaning nesting beaches, relocating nests to safe places, creating safe hatching stations, checking, and releasing hatchlings back to the sea.

In December 2022, Côn Đảo National Park was honored by the Prime Minister with a certificate of merit for its achievements in sea turtle conservation. In January 2009, Côn Đảo National Park was recognized for setting the national record for the "Most Hatchlings Released into the Sea in Vietnam." This record is assessed to be not only for Vietnam but for all of Southeast Asia. The park is also the first entity in Vietnam to become a member of the "Indian Ocean - Southeast Asia Sea Turtle Conservation Network" (IOSEA).

Research from Côn Đảo National Park shows that the sea turtle nesting season occurs year-round, but peaks usually from late April to October. During the breeding season, sea turtles migrate from feeding areas to nesting sites, and mating typically happens during their migration and right before nesting beaches.

Con Dao is a fantastic spot for turtles. The island cluster includes 16 uninhabited islands of various sizes, with over 80% of the land area designated as a protected reserve within the National Park. Separated from the mainland's development, this place is one of the last untouched natural havens in Vietnam, creating an ideal environment for the breeding of the endangered green sea turtle.

The sea turtle rescue team from Con Dao National Park and Six Senses Con Dao has been helping the Olive ridley turtle’s nest and ensures the turtle return safely to the sea. Source: Con Dao National Park and Six Senses Con Dao

Calling on the community to protect rare sea turtles together

On average, in recent years, Con Dao National Park has rescued over 1.500 sea turtle nests each year, facilitating artificial incubation and releasing over 150,000 hatchlings back into the sea. This activity is incredibly significant for the conservation of endangered and rare species that appear in the Red Data Book, highly regarded by national and international conservation organizations.

Recognizing the importance of conserving rare populations like sea turtles, Six Senses Con Dao has redesigned the beach in front of the resort to optimize the hatching rates of turtle eggs and minimize negative impacts on the longevity of newly hatched turtles. The temperature of the sand where the eggs are incubated plays a crucial role in determining the turtles' sex upon hatching and affects the incubation process. Therefore, turtle nests are taken care of with proper management and temperature adjustments of the sand. The resort also uses non-glare lighting systems in the villa and residence areas to minimize artificial light, ensuring the most natural environment.

Regarding this matter, Mrs. Bui Thi Thu Hien believes that there is a need to call on the business community to work together to protect the sea turtle populations. Currently, Six Senses Con Dao is a business excelling in this area, proud of their meaningful efforts and dedicated to supporting turtle nesting at the site.

Author: Xuan Da

Source: Bao Chinh Phu. Translated: Xuan Da

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