(Bangkok Post File Photo)A critically endangered turtle emerged from the sea to lay at least 80 eggs on a beach on Koh Samui just minutes before the start of World Environment Day — one more sign of how wildlife is making the most of the coronavirus pandemic limiting human movement. The Hawksbill sea turtle chose a beach on the island normally visited by several million people each year, and was tracked by veterinarians thanks to an implanted digital chip. National parks and wildlife conservation staff were on the spot to collect a blood sample and check the health of the turtle, which they estimated to be about 30 years old. The Hawksbill’s numbers have declined significantly because of the trade in its shells, which is now illegal. Local conservationists said that on Koh Samui alone, turtles have laid eggs on more than a dozen occasions over the past four months.

Source: Bangkok Post June 05, 2020 14:15 UTC