The critically endangered reptiles were later released into the sea.
A Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nest in Singapore’s Southern Islands that was discovered September 8 only because a monitor lizard was feasting on the turtle eggs yielded 46 hatchlings on November 1.
Posted by NParks on Wednesday, November 1, 2017
After the discovery, the National Parks of Singapore safeguarded the remaining eggs until hatchlings emerged from the nest.
“Our team took down their vital statistics,” National Parks Singapore wrote onh its Facebook page. “Thereafter, with the help of SLA (Singapore Land Authority), members of the Marine Turtle Working Group, and the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), the young ones were released at a suitable location.”
The Hawksbill, along with the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) are the most commonly seen sea turtles in Singapore. Turtles are not often seen on Singapore’s East Coast Park and Changi Beach. In 2012, just 10 sightings were made.
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The nation state has taken steps to protect the critically endangered species, including building a sea turtle hatchery to help bolster the numbers of sea turtles in the wild. The Marine Turtle Working Group monitors beaches for turtles that nest on Singapore’s shores, and researches turtle movements in its waters.
