Monday, August 15, 2011

Green Turtle Hatching at Sabah Turtle Island


The Turtle Islands are located in the Sulu Sea off Sabah in Borneo and were gazetted as a national park in 1977 to protect the hawksbill and green turtles which use the islands as a nesting ground.

The park comprises three small islands—Pulau Selingan, Pulau Bakkungan Kecil, and Pulau Gulisan.

Pulau Selingan is the main nesting area for green turtles (Chelonia Mydas), while Pulau Gulisan is preferred by hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata).

Both species lay their eggs there throughout the year, particularly between July and October.

Female green turtles go ashore to dig a deep hole with their hind flippers, where they lay 40 to 190 eggs, which they bury with sand before returning to the ocean.

Park rangers collect these eggs for incubation to protect them from predation, for example by monitor lizards.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Green Turtle Hatching at Sabah Turtle Island
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