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Rare sight in Singapore

It was a rare sight in urban Singapore. We were treated to a slice of wildlife when a metre-long Hawksbill turtle headed to a beach along East Coast Park near The Big Splash.

The turtle is an endangered species.

Her purpose?

To lay a grand total of 151 eggs.

It took the patient mum more than two hours to nest, but the seven patient onlookers didn't seem to mind. They inched closer to the turtle until they were close enough to touch her.

Fitness instructor Mohd Noor couldn't believe his eyes when he caught sight of the turtle.

"We were seated on a bench nearby when we heard the sound of sand shuffling. We thought it was a dog," he said.

"You would never expect such a thing to happen on our beaches. It took my breath away."

Three teenagers were also intrigued.

One of them couldn't help going right up, to touch the turtle gently.

Said Jim Tan, a student: "At first I was quite afraid of the turtle, but I wanted to feel its shell because it's a one-time opportunity."

However, Associate Professor C.H. Diong of the Natural Sciences and Science Education department of the National Institute of Education (NIE) said, one should not distract the turtles during nesting.

One should instead call the authorities, so the turtle and its eggs are protected, he said.

The next morning, Dr. Diong went down to the nest site to collect the eggs, after he was alerted by The New Paper.

Together with a lab technician, he moved away the sand, carefully scooping out each egg into a sand-filled styrofoam box.

"It's important that each egg is placed in its exact orientation that it was found, or else it would affect the development of the embryo leading to its death," he said.

The eggs were then rushed back to NIE's lab to be placed in an incubator.

"In normal circumstances, we would expect the eggs to hatch in 55 to 60 days. But it looks like, the nest was disturbed.

"We'll hope for the best," he said.

We bet mummy turtle's hoping for the best for her brood as well.

- The New Paper

***

Let turtles lay eggs in peace

One or two turtle landings are recorded on Singapore beaches each year, said Dr. Diong.

"Because our coastline has changed and there are many recreational activities, we don't support a breeding population where females return regularly," he said.

"Those who come here are probably lost, so these are chance landings."

But since all seven marine turtle species are endangered, every clutch of eggs laid is cause for celebration.

So, to let a turtle lay its eggs in peace:

* Don't use a torchlight or take photos with flash as this may scare the turtle so much that it goes back into the sea without laying.

* Don't stand in front of the turtle. Instead, observe 3m from its rear.

* Don't dig up the eggs as this can cause the embryos inside to die.

Instead, call the authorities so they can cordon off the area to prevent theft of the eggs.

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