Turtle hatchlings found in Singapore
I was kinda surprised when I read this news. Turtle actually came to Singapore to lay eggs? Wow....
Source: CNA
But something that kept me wondering. Why did the turtle hatchlings head towards the land and not the sea? I thought it is basic instinct that they head towards the sea. What happen?
I did a little search and found this.
Source: Arbec Turtle Conservation
Hmm..... Maybe the walkway lights confused the hatchlings.
Luckily for the 76 hatchlings, they were spotted and rescued.... don't know if the others will be so lucky or not.....
Baby turtles rescued and returned to sea off Changi
A group of roller bladers had an unusual sighting at East Coast Park beach on Tuesday night which sparked off a little search that lasted about three hours.
The group checked the drains and combed the fields in the hope of rescuing turtle hatchlings which were making their way towards the jogging track and away from the sea.
The initial search party of seven people soon grew in size with volunteers from the Raffles Museum, Nature Society and other NGOs joining in.
After three hours, a total of 76 baby turtles were rescued from the track, drains and shore and released back into the waters off Changi Beach.
Rescuers said two of the hatchlings died. One will be preserved and added to the Raffles Museum's Zoological Reference Collection.
Source: CNA
But something that kept me wondering. Why did the turtle hatchlings head towards the land and not the sea? I thought it is basic instinct that they head towards the sea. What happen?
I did a little search and found this.
Light can disorientate both the female turtle and the hatchlings. Nesting females avoid brightly lit beaches while hatchlings, attracted to the light, will head towards it instead of the sea.
Source: Arbec Turtle Conservation
Hmm..... Maybe the walkway lights confused the hatchlings.
Luckily for the 76 hatchlings, they were spotted and rescued.... don't know if the others will be so lucky or not.....
