ไทย
The officials of the Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park, in collaboration with the Phuket Marine National Park Research Center 2, conducted a survey of sea turtle nesting activities using an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone). They discovered a leatherback sea turtle laying eggs on the beach at the end of the Mueang Mine area within the national park at midnight on New Year’s Eve, entering January 2, 2567, at 01:29 a.m. This finding marks the fifth nest discovered in the Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park (the sixth nest of the season).
The measurements of the mother leatherback sea turtle revealed a shell width of 105 cm and a shell length of 180 cm. A minor blemish was observed on the left rear flipper. The officials captured photographs to confirm the turtle’s identity after it returned to the sea. Due to the risk of loss and potential inundation of the nesting site by seawater, the officials excavated and relocated the turtle eggs. The nest depth was 80 cm, and the width was 27 cm, containing a total of 120 eggs, including 78 intact eggs, 42 unfertilized eggs, and turtle eggs with a size of 5.42 cm. The nesting coordinates are UTM 47P 416280 931257.
The relocated eggs were transferred to a suitable hatching area near the Tourist Service Center beyond the high-tide line to provide natural conditions for the turtle eggs to hatch. It is expected that the hatching will occur around February 25 to March 1, 2567.
The frequent discovery of nesting green sea turtles confirms the peaceful and pristine nature of Thai Mueang beach, emphasizing the need for conservation as a potential world heritage site in the future
News and Photos courtesy by Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park