The Bazaruto Archipelago National Park in Mozambique has counted 4 319 turtle hatchlings and 72 nests, the highest numbers recorded in the 20 years it has been monitoring turtle breeding.
A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatches from its egg.
All five turtle species that occur in the Western Indian Ocean were also recorded in the 2022 nesting season – the green, loggerback, leatherback, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles.
They are all either listed as endangered or vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with decreasing populations. To monitor their numbers and help to increase their populations, the African Parks team implemented turtle nest monitoring programmes in 2019.
Monitors hired from local communities work with park managers to record the number of turtle nests on Bazaruto’s five islands, the number of eggs in each nest and the number of successful hatchlings each season. This data helps conservationists get a better understanding of how these species are using the park and what needs to be done to ensure their survival.
The Bazaruto Archipelago National Park is in Mozambique’s Inhambane province. It is a 1 360km² seascape that encompasses five islands.
In December 2021, what is believed to be the largest sighting of dugongs since the 1990s, was recorded in the Bazaruto archipelago.
Picture: Getaway Gallery
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