Late Nights and Leatherbacks!
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TwitterSea turtles, and there are 4 species found in the waters around Thailand, evoke in our minds the image of majestic, peaceful creatures roaming the open seas on their migratory routes. The Chinese believe the turtle to be a symbol of longevity and it has for hundreds of years been depicted in aboriginal art. For well over 65 million years the turtles of this world have roamed the oceans and witnessed the fall of the dinosaurs and the rise of mankind.
Thailand is lucky to have this fantastic creature nest along its shores. Between the months of December and March, Green, Hawksbill, Olive Ridleys and Leatherback turtles all come to nest along the beaches of South Western Thailand. Years ago these species would have been nesting in their hundreds but due to various factors; pollution (plastic bags look very much like the leatherback turtles main food source – Jellyfish – and are often fond in the guts of dead turtles) and nest predation by humans have meant their numbers have dwindled.
There is however a group of people working hard to study and protect these animals, Thai Muang National Parks Rangers. We at Thailandecoportal.com wanted to experience a night in the life of these diligent park rangers. New Year and it was time for another Thailandecoportal.com field trip. We thought we would celebrate the beginning of the year and the turtles nesting season by joining one of Thai Muang National Parks Rangers on a midnight trek to find and survey nesting females.
Had Thai Muang or Thai Muang beach is a 13 km stretch of beautiful undisturbed costal habitat and a haven for turtles at this time of year ( Please see previous destinations on how to get there ). Each night between the months of December and April a group of Rangers trek the stretch of beach in the hope of finding and counting the nests of turtles and checking on the microchips that many now have in their flippers for where they have come from.
On one of these treks shell lengths are measured, eggs counted, relocated and protected against the threats of poaching and locals and tourists alike can join in to experience what it is like to see this creature in the flesh. Arriving late on a Saturday nigh we met the Ranger who would be undertaking that particular shift, he had with him some trainees from the local school. We were first told that there were 3 Thai tourists also joining us but it seems that the pull of a night on the town was too much that night so we were waiting to walk alone. After meeting with our guide, our group headed south of the national park headquarters. We were told that a small quad bike and one ranger would head in the opposite direction to search out and radio back to us if he found any nests. Off we trekked, passing mounds of sand which at every point had us all shining our torches in that direction anticipating stumbling across a female turtle. Our hopes were high and so were our spirits, chatting and hunting in the darkness for that elusive creature. After 45 minutes heading south one of the trainees assigned to follow us receives a message on his phone: “they’ve found a leatherback!!” he shouts to us all. A cheer goes up and we gather to find out more information. “it is about 7 km’s north from here” says the trainee. At that point our hearts drop, 7 km’s is a long way to walk through the sand! Ignoring our tired legs we all automatically turn round and with renewed purpose and vigor start to trek north to see the magic of a female leatherback laying her eggs in the sand.
We head to the road parallel to the beach and walk now on firm ground, up ahead lights appear and it turns out the reserve guard at the headquarters has rushed to find us in his pick up. We pile in, beaming about the thought of finding this creature and race to the spot 7 kms north. The casurina trees close in and the road turns to sand and dirt, as we approach we switch off the lights and are informed to remain silent until the turtle has laid her eggs. We creep through the bushes towards the sea. As we approach a 2.7 meter behemoth thrashes her front flippers and heaves as eggs falls into the 1 meter hole she has already dug. Again a heave of her body and more eggs, Its unbelievable the amount she is laying as we count at least 50. She then starts to scrape the sand and cover her precious clutch of eggs while we all stand mesmerized by this event. Eventually we close our mouths, our jaws have all been in the sand for the last 20 minutes, and we take in the miracle of nature. To find a leatherback is in itself very hard but to be there at the moment she lays? That is exceptional. After she has finished laying and covering her eggs, the park rangers move in. Tape measures are brought out and her flippers scanned for micro chips. 
No microchip is found so the head of the operation pulls out a needle and effortlessly inserts a chip into her flipper. This is necessary so that scientists can study the movements of the turtle, if found in other parts of the world they will know where she has been nesting and at exactly what month she was here making the mapping of their travel across the globe possible. By now around 20 park rangers are in attendance, flippers measured, head measured, blood samples taken and weight estimated. She weighs in at over 300 kgs and is above the average length due to her huge 2.7meters. Measurements done we watch as she slowly but surely makes her way to the sea and disappears beneath the surf. We all have chance to catch our breath and reflect on what we have just witnessed, the only way to describe it is magical. Never did we expect to see this, we wanted to experience an evening in the life of the Park Warden and we sure did. The Park Wardens have already begun to dig for the eggs. These they will relocate to a protected area just outside the parks headquarters as unfortunately people still collect and eat turtle eggs in this part of the world. 
Totally 113 eggs are found. Average clutch sizes are around 110 and only 85% of these eggs will be fertile. If left where they are only 1% of the babies that hatch will reach maturity. If collected and protected, the young reared until 6 months and then released (as will happen with these) around 60% of the clutch will survive to maturity, a great success for the National Park, Thailand and the worlds population of leatherbacks. The female will return after a 9 day period to lay more eggs, a process which will be undertaken up to 9 times! We transport the eggs to their new home next to the headquarters and start our 60 day wait for them to hatch. It is at this point that we realized how endangered this species really is and how lucky it was to find this individual, we urge you to get out there and show support for the Turtles of Thailand and the world, join in with the rangers and provide much needed monetary and emotional support to this diligent team of park rangers.
As we leave our talk drifts to the 3 who unfortunatly didn’t make it, they may have had a late night out at the pub but Thailandecoportal.com much preferred our late night with the Leatherbacks!
