The eggs were discovered by a tour guide on September 4 in 10 metres of water near Hon Dai. The guide returned on September 7, brought up over 30 eggs and gave them to the management board of Cham Islands marine protected area for incubation.

Le Xuan Ai, a turtle expert at the management board, said it was unusual for turtles to lay eggs 10 metres under water. He thinks the eggs were laid before the turtles could reach the laying site or that their old sites were not suitable to lay eggs anymore.

   

According to the fishermen, Cu Lao Cham has nine egg laying sites but the turtles have rarely been seen at those sites recently.

Even though there are still turtles on Cu Lao Cham, their egg laying sites are disturbed by tourism and the turtles are threatened by fishing activities. 

The management board of Cham Islands marine protected area are trying to protect the turtles by transferring and incubating eggs at Bai Bac egg laying site. 482 turtle eggs, 450 of which are from the Con Dao Islands, are being incubated at the site.

dtinews