Nearly 100 endangered sea turtles have hatched on a Brazilian beach, which was left deserted due to people practicing social-distancing and self-isolation.
The shoreline in Paulista, a town in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil, is usually full of people that are crashing the beach.
However, due to the ongoing lockdown in the city, endangered sea turtles were caught hatching on the beach.
Paulo Camara, a state governor, ordered a partial shutdown last week so they could stop the fast-spreading coronavirus.
According to official reports, 97 hawksbill sea turtle broke free from their shells and took their first cautious steps towards the Atlantic Ocean.
On March 22, 2020, the turtles hatched, and there was no one at the beach.
The only people that were present at the scene were government workers, who took pictures of the baby turtles making their way down the beach.
A statement that was released by the City Hall of Paulista says that the hatching of the eggs and the first contact of the animals with the water was only possible thanks to monitoring work that was carried out by technicians working at the Urban Sustainability Center.
According to the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Hawksbill Sea Turtles are considered as critically endangered.
The Tamar Conservation Project of Brazil plays a huge role in contributing to the restoration of the species, as well as the restorations of the olive ridley sea turtle, leatherbad sea turtle, and the loggerhead sea turtle.
Hawksbill sea turtles are capable of growing to up to 110 cm and can weigh up to 85 kilograms.
Talking about the sighting, Herbert Andrade, Environmental Manager at Paulista, said, “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.”
The Hawksbill sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, leatherbad sea turtle, and the loggerhead sea turtle, are protected by the Tamar Conservation Project, and the 4 species can be traced along the coastline of the country.
Roberto Couto, the environmental secretary of Paulista, said that the animals normally lay their eggs from January each year before the hatchlings emerge in May or April.
Talking about the hatchlings, Roberto said, “It’s really beautiful because you can see the exact instant they come out of the eggs and… watch their little march across the beach. It’s marvelous. It’s a wonderful, extraordinary feeling.”
He added, “This time, because of coronavirus, we couldn’t even tell people it was happening.”
Some Facts About the hawksbill sea turtle
- The hawksbill sea turtle frequents coral reefs.
- Hawksbill sea turtles are critically endangered.
- Hawksbill sea turtle shells change colors. …
- Hawksbills almost exclusively eat sponges.
- These turtles are solitary.
- The normal lifespan of hawksbill turtles is thought to be about 30 to 50 years.
- These reptiles have existed for the last 100 million years.