Sea turtles return to Thailand's shores during pandemic

PHUKET • After laying eggs on a deserted Thai beach, a green sea turtle dives back into the turquoise-coloured waters of the Andaman Sea - a welcome sight for biologists who say the absence of tourists spurred the marine animal's return.

The turtle's nesting was spotted last month by scientists. In about two months, around 100 eggs will hatch and the baby turtles will slide towards the sea, guided by the moonlight.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, millions of tourists flocked to the white sand beaches of southern Thailand, ferried to the islands by tour boats which dissuaded the skittish creatures from venturing ashore.

But with almost 20 months of Covid-19 travel restrictions in place, several different species of sea turtles have returned to nest around Phuket, a popular beach destination before the pandemic.

Between October last year and this February, 18 nests of leatherback turtles were found in Phuket. These are the largest species of sea turtles with mature turtles growing up to 400 kg.

"Their nesting has improved in the last two years, thanks to the absence of tourists, noise and light pollution," said Dr Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre.

"We have never seen such a number in 20 years."

Although their chances of survival are very low - about one egg hatched out of 1,000 will reach adulthood - Dr Kongkiat said the increase in nesting is a positive sign for preservation efforts of endangered species.

A nest of the Olive Ridley sea turtle was also spotted - the first time in two decades.

Other species that live in the warm waters around Thailand include hawksbill, green and loggerhead turtles.

But as Thailand explores ways to reopen its doors to fully vaccinated international tourists, scientists have tempered their optimism.

"The pandemic may offer sea turtles a welcome break," Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat from Kasetsart University in Bangkok said. "But they live long and are a highly migratory species. Without effective policies to protect them, we can't expect many long-term benefits to population recovery."

In Thailand - as in many other countries - the marine animal's future is also threatened by global warming, which harms coral reefs and raises water temperatures.

The hotter conditions could in turn disrupt turtle species' populations. Studies have shown that warmer sands where they nest lead to more female hatchlings relative to males.

Pollution is another problem.

At the moment, plastic and discarded fishing lines and nets remain the primary cause of disease and death.

"In 56 per cent of the cases, the turtles that are brought to us have ingested marine waste or become trapped in it," said Dr Patcharaporn Kaewong from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre. Currently, 58 turtles are being treated there. Some need operations, amputation or prosthetics before they are released back into the wild.

Meanwhile, scientists and local authorities are on high alert during the nesting season, which lasts until February.

After a female turtle makes a nest, the authorities will act quickly - either moving the eggs to a safe place if they are too close to the water or surrounding the nest with bamboo fences and security cameras.

"After hatching, we take care of the weak turtles until they are strong enough to go to the sea," Dr Patcharaporn said.

She added that educating the public about conservation was also important. Illegally possessing or selling leatherback turtle eggs is now punishable by three to 15 years in prison, and carries fines of up to US$50,000 (S$68,000).

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE