Breath Held, As Sattahip Bay Beach Turtle Heads......

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SOURCE: Pattaya Mail: Friday 18th May 2007 Edition

Sea turtle heads for record in egg laying

A female turtle has surprised Royal Thai Navy conservationists by what is believed to be a new record in egg laying.

Officials keep vigil as mother turtle lays her latest batch of eggs for an all time record.

The turtle has been to the Sattahip Bay beach behind the residence of the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy seven times in the past four months, and has laid a total of 817 eggs.

Personnel have checked her microchip, and discovered this turtle laid eggs for the first time on Sattahip beach in 2004. Royal Thai Navy officers had released her into the wild in 1992.

Rear Admiral Chaiwat Sriakkharin, commander of Air and Coastal Defense Command received a report from Captain Kosit Jiamsupakit, director of Air and Coastal Defense Command and his deputy, Captain Tinakorn Kanchanataemee that the turtle was being monitored.

The Sea Turtle Conservation Center said the turtle’s microchip reveals that she had laid eggs a total of four times in 2004. This year she has been back on seven occasions. On February 21 she laid 119 eggs, and on March 9 a total of 118 eggs. On March 21 a total of 129 eggs were laid, on March 31 there were 100 eggs, on April 15 another 100 eggs were laid, on April 23 a further 123 eggs were laid, and on May 4 she laid 128 eggs, making a grand total of 817 eggs.

Rear Admiral Chaiwat said that female turtles would generally lay eggs four times in one cycle over four years. Conservation Center experts are predicting there are more to come from this female, saying that she could total 10 layings in this cycle.