A mother sea turtle laying eggs on a beach in Côn Đảo National Park in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — Although the peak breeding season of sea turtles has not started yet, the waters surrounding Côn Đảo archipelago of Côn Đảo National Park in the southern province of Bà Rịa- Vũng Tàu have seen many mother turtles coming to lay eggs.

According to statistics from the park’s management board, sea turtles lay eggs all year round, but the peak is from June to October every year.

Between December 14, 2024 and January 14, 2025, the park successfully rescued and moved 14 sea turtle nests, with a total of 1,247 eggs.

It saw 35 sea turtle nests successfully hatched in its incubators, and 1,910 baby turtles released into the ocean.

Meanwhile, a tracking device has been attached on one new mother turtle coming to lay eggs in the park.

Nguyễn Đình Đức of the board’s conservation-international cooperation office said the park has successfully rescued 111,986 eggs.

It recorded two turtle species, namely the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and, for the first time, the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys Olivacea), coming to 15 out of 18 turtle-laying beaches to lay eggs last year.

A total of 387 mother turtles came to lay 1,161 sea turtle nests.

It saw 107,871 eggs successfully hatched in its incubators, and 82,840 baby turtles released into the ocean.

The hatching success rate was 76.8 per cent, with an average incubation period of about 54 days.

A baby turtle is hatched and released into the ocean in Côn Đảo National Park. — VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

Côn Đảo National Park was the first place in Việt Nam to successfully carry out a turtle conservation programme in past years.

It records about an average of 450 sea turtles coming to lay eggs and about 150,000 baby animals released to the wild each year.

In January 2009, the park was recognised as the place hatching and releasing the biggest number of baby turtles to the sea in Việt Nam.

Many conservation programmes are being implemented at the park, including those that study the ecological characteristics of sea turtles, protect their nesting habitats and nests and build hatcheries, among others.

Meanwhile, on a monthly basis, the park receives hundreds of tourists coming to watch turtles lay eggs. — VNS