Critically Endangered Turtle Hatchlings Stroll Down Brazil's Abandoned Beaches

[Judi Lynn]

Tom Hale
By Tom Hale
30 MAR 2020, 17:51

This year's turtle hatching in Brazil might have had fewer spectators than previous years, but the annual season rolls on despite the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

Over 200 critically endangered hawksbill turtles, along with almost 90 green turtles, were born this month at a beach in Paulista, Brazil’s Pernambuco state, according to a statement by the City Hall of Paulista.

The first batch of tiny hatchlings was welcomed by a huge crowd of cheering spectators on Saturday, March 14. The second, however, had a much quieter affair on the following weekend. Since the government has ordered new social-distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, the event was only observed by a few researchers from the local Urban Sustainability Center.

But despite the lack of festivities, their welcome into the world was a huge success.

“In all, 291 sea turtles were born on the coast of Paulista in 2020, with 87 green turtles and 204 hawksbill turtles. This time, due to preventive measures against the new coronavirus, the population was unable to closely monitor the birth,” concluded Herbert Andrade, environmental manager at Paulista, said in the announcement.

More:
https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/critically-endangered-turtle-hatchlings-stroll-down-brazils-abandoned-beaches/

🐢🐢🐢🐢

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Huzzah for the turtles !! nt

[wendyb-NC]

2. Yes, that is such good news!

[denbot]

3. They have better survival instincts than we have survival intellect.

They’ve been around 150 million years and may see us to our graves..

[burrowowl]

4. Yay turtles

And possibly less light pollution to distract them