Golden Buddha Beach is an ideal place of serene beauty and quietude. We have hosted many yoga retreats

A Hatching On Phra Thong Island
by a former eco-volunteer

Is it Saturday or Sunday evening, someone asked me? I shrugged my shoulders. I did not care and neither did the small group of volunteers silently standing or crouching around the Olive Ridley nest, awaiting the hatching of perhaps 100 baby turtles.

We were from different organizations, different countries, and different personalities but united in our vigil around this small area on a huge beach, on an Island called Phra Thong.

Small black depressions could be seen at the surface, and as each minute passed by, and further shapes emerged, we whispered to each other if we "spotted" a flipper or maybe another head as the hatchlings waited for darkness and a safe scramble to the sea. The sand flies were biting our bare limbs but even this discomfort was a small price to pay for what transpired next. An infra?red torch enabled us to observe but not disturb or disorientate the hatchlings.

Suddenly, as if by command the surface of the nest erupted as a volcano, and turtle babies surged everywhere, a seething mass of desperate hatchlings, their only goal to get down to that sea!

We kept to the sidelines to enable their safety, filled in crab holes and shouted joyously when they made the journey to the waves. This is only the first in their perilous lives at sea, but one we all silently hoped would result in successfully returning and nesting in perhaps another 25 years from now!

I know I probably called out "good luck" as I watched their tiny shapes disappear into the vast expanse of the ocean. In all 93 safely hatched this night. What a privilege to witness! What a memory to keep! 

TURTLE PROJECT BACKGROUND:
8 YEARS OF STUDY 

In 1996, the Sea Turtle Conservation Project started along the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. It is based at Phra Thong island and suerveys are periodically conducted on the two adjacent islands of Ko Kho Khao and Ko Ra. Both islands are located in Phang Nga province. The project is run by an international research team coordinated by Naucrates, an Italian NGO with the Phuket Marine Biological Center and the Ranong Coastal Resource Research Station.

The main purpose of the project is to protect sea turtles, mangrove and reef, and to investigate on other topics related with local wildlife in order to compile a Conservation Management Plan for the area. In fact at Phra Thong island, where the project is currently at its ninth season, investigation has been done on littoral vegetation, reptiles, tourism impact assessment and mangrove forest.

As far as the sea turtle monitoring program is concerned, the total length of the beach is daily monitored (walking or with motorbike) by at least three people during each nesting season (from December to April) on both islands. Eggs are carefully moved (if necessary) near the project base  in order to be protected. Since the project started three nesting species have been identified: olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). From the beginning,  the number of nests recorded range from 3 to 13 at Phra Thong islands.

Nesting season occurred from October to February for olive ridley and leatherback, with rare olive ridley nesting activity in September and March, whereas green turtles nest from March to July.

Phra Thong island together with the two adjacent islands (Ra and Kho Khao) are considered as one of the main marine turtle nesting grounds of the south west coast of Thailand. However, data concerning Phra Thong island showed a reduction of 82% of olive ridley nests from 1979 to 2003 mainly due to the massive egg collection in the previous 20 years. This results could indicate the beginning of the species’ extinction in the area .

The Conservation Project has contributed to the decrease of the egg poaching activity , to protect all the nests laid and to safely release more than 2000 hatchlings into the sea and to rescue animals incidentally caught in fishing nets. The final goal is to restore the sea turtle population or to keep it as it is.

Part of  the project effort is dedicated to the realization of an educational programme for the local community. Thank to the help of Phuket Marine Biological Center staff,  of the Thai teachers and of a foreign teacher a regular programme with lessons every month is conducted. Topics of the lesson are concerning conservation and biology of sea turtles, different animals on the island, hornbills, reef, creature of the reef, etc. The children’s response to the programme has always been positive both during the lessons and at children day when schools are invited at the project base participating to games, activities, guided visit to the project facilities and to assist the turtle releasing ceremony. In the last two seasons, even villagers have been collaborating with us donating turtles incidentally caught in fishing nets.

In February-March 2004, the Sea Turtle Foundation, Marriott Hotel,  supported the environmental education programme at Phuket giving Naucrates the opportunity to expand conservation activities to a wide audience. WWF , Robert Mather and Siripong Thonongto, supported the teacher training session at Phuket.

In February and March 2004, with the support of Project Aware, Naucrates team carried out surveys based on Reef Check methodology. It was found that much of the reef possesses a good diversity of species and some well-established coral colonies but other areas, especially at shallower depths, there is considerable damage and debris and normal recolonisation is unlikely.  The majority of damage observed is due to boats, fishing and probably the use of dynamite in the past.  Also, there is obvious damage caused by snorkelling/canoeing at low tide and as tourism and development continue to expand on the island, the reef is becoming increasingly threatened by such activities. 

The project also gives information to tourists visiting the island, using a display area, Ban Tau or Turtle house, where they can learn about sea turtles, conservation and other wildlife of the island. Slide shows, talks and demonstrations are also put together for visitors.

Although the conservation project actively work toward the conservation of the biodiversity of the island, human activities are still threatening the survival of the sea turtle population in the area. Fishing activities and tourist development remain the main threats on both islands.  The project is working hard in order to achieve restoration of the sea turtle nesting population of the area and to manage the natural resources working directly with the local community.