Singapore — Visitors to the East Coast Park along Changi were in for a surprise when they stumbled upon an unusual sight – baby turtles crossing the street.
Sea turtle hatchlings emerge from the nests to find their way to the sea, waiting until nighttime to reduce exposure to predators.
However, hatchlings may discriminate light intensities and choose a greater light source on the open horizon that is not the moonlight.
Such was the case when park goers and cyclists at Changi saw turtle hatchlings crossing the park connector.
A post in Nature Society (Singapore) highlighted that the hatchlings were drawn to the street lights along with the Park Connector Network.
“If I remember correctly, there are two species of sea turtles that nest on our shores, and both are endangered,” said Brendan Goh, who shared the post.
A member of the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group also shared their surprising experience, noting a cycling session turned into a rescue operation.
Around 15 cyclists and passers-by stopped to rescue the turtle hatchlings moving inland across the park connector at around 9:20 pm on Dec 16.
Some were in charge of picking up the hatchlings, while others asked incoming cyclists to slow down or assist in the operation.
One of the videos attached showed a cyclist giving a hatchling a ride to the shore before setting it free on the water.
The police soon got alerted to the situation, and they installed blinker lights along the path before joining the rescue effort, reported Mothership.
About 100 turtle hatchlings emerged from their nest that night. Unfortunately, about six to eight were crushed by passing cyclists unaware of the incident. Another four died and were found covered with ants.
According to an advisory by the National Parks Board (NParks), members of the public are advised to keep their distance when they encounter a nesting turtle.
“Touching the turtle may scare or provoke it. Handling the eggs may damage them or introduce bacteria into the nest,” said NParks.
“Keep clear of tracks left by the turtle. Researchers use the tracks to identify the species of the turtle and to locate the nest,” NParks added.
Those who encounter a nesting turtle or its eggs are advised to call the NParks helpline at 1800-471-7300.
Singapore is home to two endangered turtle species, the Green turtle and the Hawksbill turtle. /TISG
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