– LET THEM FLOW –
The fourth part of the turtle watching code of conduct.
It is vital for the survival of hatchling turtles!
Hatchlings take a geo-imprint of their location when they first emerge from their nests, meaning in 30 years time, when they have reached breeding age, these turtles return to their birthplace.
Being born underground, means hatchlings swallow a large amount of sand in their initial climb. The dash to the ocean gives these hatchlings time to empty the sand from their bodies.
Unfortunately,
Carrying hatchlings to the water can disorientate them greatly and puts them at even more risk when they’re in the ocean.
They need to do the crawl themselves to clear their lungs, get their muscles working and take a geomagnetic imprint of the beach, so they know to return here to nest 30 years later!
So, keep your torches off and keep their path clear.
