We made our usual 5.30 am start to check the beach for turtles and tracks, it was another great morning and as we sat and drank our coffee, the bee eaters were waking up above our heads as the sun came up and a calm sea lapped against the sandy beach - beautiful. Then suddenly we heard a whistle, it could only be Tony, the head ranger, and it was, he was furiously beckoning us over. I gulped my coffee down and grabbed the turtle bag, expecting to see an adult turtle track or turtle on the beach. But no, Tony was clutching something and I would've never have guessed what - it was a green turtle hatchling.
There were a few coming from the first nest site, they can hatch between 50 and 70 days, it was 50 days to yesterday and so they hatched exactly on the first day, and they were on their way as fast as they could to the safety of the sea. But as we looked we started to realise that many of the ghost crabs that were skulking around were actually clutching young hatchlings. Instinctively to try and give some of the rarest creatures we would ever see a chance, we both started to chase the crabs away. I tried stamping my feet to make them drop them - it worked and I collected up the small hatchling just the size of a 50p piece and took it nearer the sea. They felt so strong, the large front flippers characteristic of a green turtle, were trying to pull through my fingers, not even the size of my little finger, the flippers had so much power and were to be crucial in the survival of this small turtle.
There was little evidence of a mass hatching and there were very few tracks in the sand to be seen, whether on the beach itself or around the nest site, however there were a lot of crab tracks. Until now I hadn't realised how much of a threat crabs were to these little fellas, even though I was amazed at how fast they could travel down the beach - they were no competition for a crab, they didn't stand a chance.
From memory they looked slightly bigger than a hawksbill hatchling, but they looked very different with their flippers and soft parts all lined in white. So cute, they made their way down the beach like little clock work toys, one flipper after another giving them a rather comical gait.
There was little evidence of a mass hatching and there were very few tracks in the sand to be seen, whether on the beach itself or around the nest site, however there were a lot of crab tracks. Until now I hadn't realised how much of a threat crabs were to these little fellas, even though I was amazed at how fast they could travel down the beach - they were no competition for a crab, they didn't stand a chance.
From memory they looked slightly bigger than a hawksbill hatchling, but they looked very different with their flippers and soft parts all lined in white. So cute, they made their way down the beach like little clock work toys, one flipper after another giving them a rather comical gait.
After seeing so few we knew there must be more and so as the evening got closer we staked the nest site out, in an attempt to try and reduce the amount of crab predation, what a way to spend a Saturday evening.
By 7.15 we started to see yet more movement from the nest and once again hatchlings started to emerge. This time dealing with the crabs was more of a challenge because it was dark.
It was a catch 22, as we would shine the torch to get the crabs we would then attract the hatchlings as at this age they respond to light and changes in temperature.
Melv had the answer he grabbed a big stick and went further down the beach and began to clear the way for us to guide the hatchlings down, he effectively started to play golf with the crabs, it was quick and efficient – although at times not too good for the crabs– it worked a treat with the way clear for the rest of us to guide the small defenceless hatchlings down to the sea.
Melv had the answer he grabbed a big stick and went further down the beach and began to clear the way for us to guide the hatchlings down, he effectively started to play golf with the crabs, it was quick and efficient – although at times not too good for the crabs– it worked a treat with the way clear for the rest of us to guide the small defenceless hatchlings down to the sea.
It was once more a truly amazing sight a real turtle treat, and one I really never expected to see, seeing hatchlings making their way down the beach was exciting enough, but those from a green turtle - well unbelievable, some of the rarest turtles in the world and we were privileged enough to be able to give them a helping hand - how lucky was that
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