This season there have been depressingly few nesting emergences on Intendance beach compared to previous season. Added to that, 2 nests were washed away following bad weather in December and another 3 showed very low hatching success. In one case, only 20 hatchlings emerged from a nest containing 212 eggs.
Intendance beach in the South of Mahe, photo Elke Talma Concerned over the remaining nests, MCSS and the Banyan Tree Turtle Team have been closely monitoring the remaining nests. One nest in particular was of concern, as every day high tides and rough seas were slowly eroding the sand near the nest.
With the eggs due to hatch any day now, Elke and Adam decided to relocate the eggs to give the hatchlings a fighting chance. A total of 115 eggs were collect from nest No.26, 10 of which were more like chicken eggs than the usual ping-pong shaped turtle eggs.
Weird shaped turtle eggs (right), photo Elke Talma
The eggs have been moved to a safe location with Adam checking them on a daily basis until they hatch. We will keep you posted.
Adam and his soon to be offspring’s, photo Elke Talma
With the eggs due to hatch any day now, Elke and Adam decided to relocate the eggs to give the hatchlings a fighting chance. A total of 115 eggs were collect from nest No.26, 10 of which were more like chicken eggs than the usual ping-pong shaped turtle eggs.
Weird shaped turtle eggs (right), photo Elke Talma The eggs have been moved to a safe location with Adam checking them on a daily basis until they hatch. We will keep you posted.
Adam and his soon to be offspring’s, photo Elke Talma