A remarkable event is happening on the ever-remarkable Andaman Sea coastline as a big mother leatherback is back. Weighing as much as 300 kilos and stretching to two meters wide, this giant has been coming ashore in the past few weeks at one specific location in Phuket to lay eggs.

Marine biologists have been recording the visits of the leatherback to the Phang Nga beach. She only comes back to lay eggs every 25 years, and her time is now. In December, she left 99 eggs in the sand. In early January, she left 113. Biologists know she will be back soon to leave more eggs. And the hatchings should begin to take place from February 24, with the second batch due to hatch in early March. The leatherback will return five or seven times, every 12 to 15 days, each time depositing more eggs.

Parrob Plannga, head ranger of the Forests Office in Phang Nga, says the site of the hatchings is being watched day and night to protect the eggs.

“Last year we had just one leatherback turtle appear and lay eggs just once. This turtle is larger and has so far kept to her egg-laying pattern,” he told Phuketwan

Leatherbacks go back 150 million years, he said. “They will return to the beach where they hatched just once every 25 years,” he said.

Biologists are concerned that the leatherbacks may be laying more female eggs than males because they can tell from the laying-point on the beach whether each batch is predominantly male or female.

The first year or so of the life of most Andaman coast turtle species remains a mystery.

Once home to five species, Phuket no longer has any turtles hatching on its shores because of increasing development at the cost area that is noise and light.

News by Phuketwan