Critically endangered hawksbill turtle spotted in East Coast Park

SINGAPORE - Under the overcast sky on June 22, one of the first sea turtles of Singapore’s 2026 nesting season lumbered ashore in East Coast Park.

The critically endangered hawksbill turtle was spotted by chance at about 5pm by staff from the National Parks Board (NParks).

Despite making at least four attempts to nest in the sand, the female appeared to abandon the effort without laying her eggs.

As the hawksbill turtle headed back to the sea, staff from NParks’ National Biodiversity Centre stepped in to attach unique tags on its flippers.

Meanwhile, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) research fellow Lyndsey Tanabe collected a tiny, non-invasive tissue sample from the turtle to sequence its genes.

This will help scientists understand the health of sea turtle populations and how they are impacted by climate change, said Tanabe, who had rushed down from Jurong East by taxi to secure the sample.

The sea turtle biologist also helped remove barnacles encrusted on the turtle’s shell.

“That will help the turtle because that’s a sign of a turtle that’s sick or injured, so we are trying to remove them in order to reduce the drag so that this turtle can swim better,” she added.

By 6.55pm, the turtle swam into the waters off East Coast Park.

The data collected will allow scientists to decode the secret lives of hawksbill turtles – a species that maintains the health of coral reef ecosystems – and shape NParks’ conservation efforts here.

This comes as land reclamation, the illegal wildlife trade and other threats encroach on the nesting grounds of the turtles, which are named after their bird-like beaks.

The hawksbill turtle is one of two sea turtle species recorded in the Republic. The other – the green turtle – has been spotted in local waters but has never been recorded nesting here, unlike in neighbouring Malaysia.

Armed with the knowledge that female turtles are known to return to the areas where they are hatched, NParks relocates nests which have been found in unsuitable and vulnerable locations.

These eggs are taken to the turtle hatchery at Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, which was set up in 2018 to boost the survival rate of young reptiles in a protected area that limits human traffic and light pollution.

Once hatchlings emerge from their shells, only an estimated one in 1,000 survive to adulthood.

The recent sighting in East Coast Park follows a bumper crop of hawksbill nests in 2025, which yielded the highest local nest count since 2020.

Members of the public who encounter a nesting turtle on the beach should keep their distance and avoid shining lights or talking loudly, as this could cause the female to leave without laying her eggs.

The public should keep clear of tracks left by the turtles as researchers use the tracks to identify the species of turtle and to locate nests. The public can contact the NParks helpline on 1800-471-7300 to report their sighting.

Those who wish to contribute to sea turtle monitoring efforts can do so by joining NParks’ Biodiversity Beach Patrol through its website.