Around 100 hawksbill turtle eggs hatch at East Coast Park

Ride the waves, little guys.

Belmont Lay | November 13, 2017, 11:08 AM

Around 100 hawksbill turtle eggs have successfully hatched at East Coast Park, the National Parks Board (NParks) said in a Facebook post on Sunday, Nov. 12.

A female hawksbill was spotted laying eggs there in August.

Back in two decades

The hatchlings were released onto the beach where they crawled towards the water themselves.

NParks said this was important as it allowed the turtles to orientate themselves through a process called "imprinting".

The turtles will be able to navigate back to the East Coast Park area in over 20 years when they have matured and are ready to lay their eggs.

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Measurements taken

Prior to releasing the hatchlings, their vital statistics were collected following "best practices for turtle management procedure".

Vital stats include their weight and carapace length.

"We also inspected each and every one of them for any deformities on their shell or body," NParks said.

Some of the eggs were lost to natural predators though.

Earlier this month, 46 turtle hatchlings emerged from a nest at one of Singapore's southern islands.