BANGKOK, Thailand – A rare and encouraging discovery was reported along Thailand’s Andaman coast after officials found a nesting Leatherback Sea Turtle, the world’s largest sea turtle and an endangered marine species, at Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park. According to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the female leatherback turtle came ashore near a park protection unit in the national park in Phang Nga and laid 119 eggs, including 99 viable and 20 infertile eggs.
Officials implanted a microchip for future monitoring and collected samples of mucus, blood, eggs, and sand from the nesting site for health and genetic research. Since the nest was in an area vulnerable to tidal flooding and predation, authorities relocated the eggs to a safer location and established a protected enclosure to improve the hatchlings’ chances of survival. The discovery is welcomed as positive news for marine conservation in Thailand and highlights the importance of continued protection of endangered sea turtle habitats along the Andaman coast. (NNT)
