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The Covid-19 pandemic forced billions of people to practice social distancing. With fewer humans around, other species also experienced social distancing.wildlifeThey also become more comfortable in their natural environment, even boldly appearing on the streets, at tourist spots, etc.
A prime example of this is the phenomenon of sea turtles flocking to beaches in eastern India to lay eggs in recent days, as many beaches have become cleaner, less polluted, and less crowded with tourists, creating a favorable breeding environment for these animals.
Local authorities have affirmed that they will do everything possible to ensure that sea turtle breeding is strictly protected.
According to the Odisha state Forestry Department in eastern India, in just the last few days of March, more than 475,000 sea turtles crawled onto a 6-kilometer-long beach in Rushikulya to nest and lay eggs. Local authorities have affirmed that they will do everything possible to strictly protect the sea turtle breeding process. It is estimated that around 60 million eggs will appear on beaches in eastern India. After about 45 days, the hatchlings will find their way back to the sea on their own.
In Thailand, Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, said that Thailand has discovered 11 leatherback turtle nests since November 2019, the highest number of nests found in the past 20 years. "This is good news for us because humans have destroyed many of the turtles' breeding grounds," Kongkiat said.
Leatherback turtles have been appearing in large numbers in Thailand after beaches were closed.
Leatherback turtles are the world's largest sea turtles. In Thailand, they are classified as endangered and are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's global list of vulnerable species. Leatherback turtles typically lay their eggs in dark, quiet areas, but this is rarely observed. Besides their habitat being encroached upon by tourists, their nests are often dug up and their eggs stolen by humans.
Hawksbill turtles lay their eggs along the northeastern coast of Brazil and are considered critically endangered.
Similarly, in Brazil, 97 critically endangered hawksbill turtles hatched on a secluded beach in Paulista, Pernambuco state. Photographs taken by officials show the tiny creatures making their way along the beach to join the Atlantic waves.
