With Indonesia’s pandemic lockdown now a distant memory, the country has regained its status as a top scuba diving destination on the planet. One of the most amazing resorts, Siladen Resort and Spaare busy welcoming visitors from far and wide, and of course, in this the turtle mecca of North Sulawesi, there are frequent arrivals of new turtles—the next batch of baby turtles is never far away! This month, all the cuteness was captured on film by the Siladen team, and here’s what they shared with us:
Baby turtle hatching! We are delighted to welcome our newest residents!
At Siladen we are blessed with white sand beaches that are known as turtle nesting places year round. Nests, called clutches, can be located in various places on the island. We also work with the local village to help protect the nest. If they are in vulnerable locations, they can be moved to safer places to protect them, shortly after spawning. Conditions should be carefully replicated, ensuring that nest depth, egg position and distance from water are the same when possible.
Our newest clutch, which hatched last week with 120 eggs, was delivered from the village to Siladen beach in early February and these babies (we think hawks) are now fighting to cross the open ocean.
When sea turtles lay eggs, they dig in the sand with their hind flippers. Female turtles return to the beach where they were born to nest. On average, depending on the species, they usually lay 100–125 eggs and will nest several times, about two weeks apart, for several months. Immediately after the eggs hatch, about 2 months later, the young dig out of their nest. When they appeared, using natural light horizons along with white wave crests, the little turtles quickly made their way to the sea. After reaching the surf spot, they begin what is known as a “swimming frenzy” and head out into the open ocean.
When the turtles hatched at night in Siladen, we had to turn off the lights near the dive center for them to find their way. If it’s open during the day, we try to make sure the road goes straight into the water. After entering the ocean, the young of many sea turtles are rarely seen for 1 to 3 years. These are called “lost years”.
We are currently counting down to the next hatch, with 168 eggs in the litter and due date will be early May! Siladen is located in Bunaken National Park, where turtles are protected. We are delighted to be visiting one of the best diving sites in Indonesia and helping these amazing creatures stay safe.
Read more about the amazing experiences of DPGers at Siladen Resort in “Seduced by Siladen“by Anita Verde,”The Wall of Time: Wide angle at Bunaken National Park with Siladen . Resort“by Beth Watson,”Unleash the magical depths of Siladen” by Pepe Arcos, and”Fine Diving and Dinner at Siladen Resort” by Joe Tepper.
