Watch: Over 40 Hatchlings Scurry To Sea From Final Nest
Over 40 baby turtles made their way to the sea as the final nest of this year’s turtle nesting season began to hatch at Ramla l-Ħamra.
Nest six, laid by Turtle Angela, was showing signs of hatching in recent days, with increased activity noted between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
“This marks the beginning of the end of this year’s turtle season , where ERA officials and NTM volunteers worked together to protect the nesting sites,” wrote the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) on social media.
The first clear indication that hatching was imminent came at around 9.25pm yesterday, followed by a “boil” (the mass emergence of hatchlings) at approximately 10pm.
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Laid on 28th July, nest six began hatching late on day 52. While many of the hatchlings have already emerged, the nest will continue to be monitored closely over the coming nights to ensure the remaining turtles make it safely to the sea.
The hatching process was carefully documented using night vision cameras, with strict lighting protocols in place. Only red light was used when necessary, in order to avoid disturbing the turtles — never white light.
ERA reminds the public to be mindful of its activity on the beach and advised to keep the noise down, not to use bright lights near the nest and to follow instructions from the volunteers on site.
Have you ever seen a turtle hatchling before?
Credit: Wildlife Rescue Team, Nature Trust and ERA via Facebook
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