Background

The Sea Turtle project has been working for 12 years (1996-2008) on Phra Thong, Ra and Kho Khao islands.
The project is currently conducted in collaboration with the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) and Ranong Coastal Resources Research Station (RCRRT).

Since we started the project, we had a good response from the local community, who was unfortunately badly hit by the tsunami. A regular monitoring programme of the nesting beaches and protection of all nests laid was set up. Juveniles turtles were rescued and safely released during the project.

Since the tsunami, the project was interrupted for a season (2004 –05) and started again in January 2006 with a team working on conservation and education.

Green Turtle. Photo By M.Froment

Leatherback Turtles By A.DeLucia

Objective and scope

·        Post tsunami evaluation of the status of the nesting and foraging population;

·        Applied research on marine turtle populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring;

·        Protect nesting females and eggs on important nesting beaches;

§         Evaluate the interaction between artisan fisheries and sea turtles: assess the mortality rate at sea.

·        Strengthening of local capacity to implement conservation programs on nesting beaches;

·        Increase the knowledge about biology and conservation of marine turtles in the area and to increase the chance of survival of this endangered species involving the local community and by protecting their habitats (beach and sea);

·        Establish a positive-sustainable relationships between tourism and marine turtle conservation;

·        Conservation education and community outreach for the protection of nesting and near shore foraging populations;

§         Train foreign and Thai volunteers and students on fieldwork techniques;

§         Organize national and international workshop.

Green turtle eggs, olive ridley hatchlings and green turtle head. Naucrates collection

Since the project started in 1996 many results have been achieved. Volunteers helping on the field are giving us a great help, year by year we have many requests and thanks to their help we are able to present you some hypothesis on what is the situation on at Phra Thong.

The total number of nests found in each season:

Note: the numbers on this location are very low.

 In particular, a reduction of 82% of Olive Ridley laid nests was recorded between 1979 (N = 238) and 1990 (N = 42). Since our work started the decrease is still of 83%.

Considering that sea turtles reach sexual maturity after 19-25 years, the low number of olive ridley nests found in the last 10 years at Phra Thong island could be due to the excessive egg harvest documented 20 years ago.
The annual decrease in numbers of nests could  be a consequence of egg harvesting in the previous 20 years. In addition to egg harvesting the consumption of turtle meat, the hunting of turtles to use the shells, etc. has also contributed to the actual result.

Assuming that females take 20 to 50 years to reach adult hood and to remain reproductively active for 20 years, a green turtle population with 100% of egg harvest, would reach extinction in about 70 years. Adapting this model to the Olive Ridley population nesting in the area of Phra Thong island, extinction would be reached after about 40 years. The low number of Olive Ridley nests at Phra Thong island could indicate the beginning of the species extinction in the area.

Thai scientists predict EXTINCTION BY 2010

Aureggi, M. and Chantrapornsyl, S. 2006. Reproductive Biology and Conservation of the Olive Ridley turtle at Phra Thong Island, Andaman Sea, South Thailand. Phuket Mar. Biol. Center Bull. 67:81-87.

Tsaros, P and Aureggi, M. 2007. Interaction between sea turtles and artisan fisheries at Phra Thong Island. Naucrates Final report.
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Aureggi, M. 2006. Green Turtle a victim of post-tsunami aid? Bangkok Post of the 28 March 2006.

Aureggi, M. (2006). The status of marine turtles in Thailand. Testudo journal 6(3): 50-63.
DIRECT LINK ->

Aureggi, M. and Chantrapornsyl, S. (2003). Conservation Project: sea turtles at Phra Thong Island, South Thailand. Kachhapa Newsletter 9:3-5.
DIRECT LINK ->

Aureggi, M., Chantrapornsyl, S. and L., Young (2003). Conservation Project at  Phra Thong and Kho Khao Islands, South West Thailand. Tiger Paper 30(3): 11-13.
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The sea turtle project is part of the Naucrates Conservation Project, Thailand. If you would like to help us volunteering in Thailand, please find more details on how to participate and booking form here