Hawksbill turtle babies on Curaçao

This is a hawksbill turtle video.

Translated from Dutch news agency Novum:

August 24, 2013 09:53

Hawksbills‘ nest surprises Curaçao

The hawksbill turtle which laid eggs on a popular Curaçao tourist beach earlier this month turns out to have been there a month earlier as well.

Thursday night beachgoers discovered a number of small turtles in the sand. In total 65 turtles hatched from the hidden eggs. With the help of bystanders they were are all brought safely to the sea.

The hawksbill turtle is an endangered species and rarely comes ashore on Curaçao. According to local fishermen that happened most recently in 1990.

These big turtles are sometimes seen in the waters around Curaçao. Then, they usually have a length of fifty to seventy centimeter. The turtle on the beach of Lagun was significantly larger: one meter and ten centimeter. That’s only four centimeter smaller than the world record. Given the size of the shield, experts estimate that the mother is about 25 to 30 years old.

The nest which previously made ​​the news will hatch only in the beginning of October. According to Sue Willis of the foundation Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire it is normal that hawksbills nest five to seven times at the same location. In early August she already said that the Lagun nest probably would not be the only one.

Bahamas hawksbill turtles: here.

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