Phang Nga –
On the evening of May 31st, park rangers at the Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park, together with the Marine National Park Research and Study Center Region 2 (Phuket), documented a remarkable event: a mother leatherback turtle came ashore to lay her eggs near the Lampi 3 ranger station.
The patrol team, assisted by drone surveillance, observed the nesting until completion. Upon inspection, officials confirmed via microchip scan that this was the same mother turtle previously recorded nesting in the area. This marks her fourth nest of the season, an unusual occurrence outside the typical breeding period.
Egg count details:
- Total eggs: 136
- Fertile eggs: 106
- Infertile eggs: 30
Because the nest was located in a zone vulnerable to seawater flooding, rangers carefully relocated all eggs to a protected incubation site near the park’s visitor center. Here, the eggs will be allowed to hatch naturally under 24-hour monitoring.
The nesting coincided with Visakha Bucha Day, a Buddhist holiday celebrated under the full moon. For conservationists, the turtle’s return felt like a quiet promise fulfilled, a reminder of resilience and continuity: “Mother came back right on time.”
