Day 287, Year 5 Baby Turtles on Nosy Iranja
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010
Weather: More Perfect Weather
Location: Nosy Iranja, NW Madagascar

Turtle Quest III was a success!!! We got to watch a nest of 154 eggs hatch late this afternoon. Just as Christian at the Iranja Lodge told us last night, at exactly 4:30 pm this afternoon the first little turtle head started emerging out of the sand inside a circular wire netting that was buried about a foot down. We have no idea how they know the exact time, but it happened on cue. Once the first head emerged, Artur, the young man in charge of turtles in Ignance’s absence, started digging around the circular netting with a shovel. He dug all around until he could pull out the wire netting and then he started digging with his hands so the little guys didn’t have so far to climb out. One little turtle head after another emerged. As soon as the head was showing, Artur would sprinkle a little sand on its head and that would get it wiggling so it could climb out. And then there was another one, and another one, and on and on until we had a wiggling pile of baby turtles. Probably the first fifty climbed out with no shell, but then Artur dug deeper and we could see babies just partially out of the shell. It all happened very quickly and we were watching with guests from the resort. At first there were two families with small children and then some older children started arriving. Other adults from the resort didn’t come to watch. I guess that makes us kids!

Artur was counting the turtles as he put them into a plastic tub. Out of 154 eggs laid on June 9th, 113 babies hatched today. Out of the first fifty or so turtles there were only two that didn’t make it, but as Artur dug deeper thirty-nine more of babies near the bottom of the nest didn’t make it. I guess it is best not to be among the first eggs laid. Once the nest was empty, Artur carried the plastic tub down near the water and the babies tumbled onto the beach. They rushed toward the surf, would get carried back up on the beach by the next wave, but eventually they were off and running. It is sad to think that most of them will not survive, but we are truly grateful for getting to watch this birthing experience. A million thanks to our son-in-law Jed who researched the web and found the name of the turtle man, Ignance. Having that name is what opened the door for us. We also thank the Iranja Lodge for allowing us come ashore to watch this incredible event. And it really was incredible.

100809 Day 287 Nosy Iranja, Madagascar–Baby Turtles