Turtle Hatchery Visit

Turtle Hatchery with the kids from the FED School for Talented and gifted students.

Wicked Diving was founded on the belief that we need to do more than simply take guests diving. WE need to take care of ecosystems and our local community. We set aside 2% of all revenue towards these projects. This manifests itself in many ways - ranging from our work with the Baan San Fan Orphanage to our Manta Research projects.

One of our longest running programs has been working with the gifted Students at the FED school for children of Burmese migrant workers. While formerly known as the GHRE school, they have changed their name to FED now. More on them can be found here: http://wickeddiving.com/ghre-school.

Our activities with the school range from lectures given about marine topics (conservation, plastics, salt vs. freshwater) to special outings. This week we were able to organize a great day out! We took the kids to our local Turtle Hatchery and showed them around. We then followed that up with a beach clean-up after pointing out that ingesting plastics are the leading cause of Turtle deaths.

Here's a quick report from Choc:

As part of our community projects, today we took 14 of the Burmese students and Max, their teacher to the Turtle Hatchery in Tablamu Navy Base. The goal was to give them a fun opportunity to interact with these lovely marine animals, learn a bit from them and realize the threats they face.

Walking around the tanks we had the chance to observe 3 of the 5 different species of turtle that inhabit Thai waters: hawksbill, green and olive ridley; some very little ones just few days old, some very big individuals that weight 50-60 kg!

After that, we had a well deserved lunch and a beach clean-up.

The day finished with some pictures and a delicious ice cream that helped everyone to cool down a bit. ;-)

Choc and Diego.

Thanks guys - Photos below!!!!


-Wicked Diving Thailand

Great News for Thailand! Leatherback Turtle nesting...

For several years Wicked Diving has taken all of our Divemaster Trainees and a few guest to visit the nearby Thai Muang National Park, where there is a turtle hatchery. These are turtles hatched from eggs found on this last remaining stretch of undeveloped beach in the region and one of only two beaches where Leatherback Turtles nest in Thailand. 

Not a leatherback Nor on Thai Muang Reef...but still Wicked:)

We also dive on the reef directly in front of the park in a place called Hidden reef, as it was "discovered" by the WWF when doing research on the local reefs after the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. (Several of us had dived there before that point...but hey, any publicity is good publicity!). A link to our sister site about diving Thai Muang Reef

It is appropriate that now, just a few days before the anniversary of the tsunami that some amazing news has come out of Thai Muang...the Leatherback turtles have returned!!!

There have been not one, but TWO different nests on the in the past weeks and with the method of Turtleback nesting, there should be more nests laid in the coming weeks! This is great news as it has been a few years since the last Leatherback nest was found. As this is also one of only two beaches in Thailand where the Leatherbacks nest...this is amazing news. 

Leatherback Turtles are quite susceptible to being caught caught in fishing nets as by-catch and on longline fishing (for tuna). Their numbers have dwindled dramatically in the past decades and even a sighting of one is rare, let alone a nest. Another major cause of their dwindling numbers is connected to the use of plastic bags. Yes, it's true...those cheap plastic bags you get can kill these turtles who mistake them floating in the ocean as jellyfish. The plastic is not digested and takes up space in their digestive tract, making them slowly starve. Please do not use plastic bags :( 

We hope to visit the hatchery in just a few days and possibly bring back pictures of the eggs and talk with the rangers about the process of hatching, gestation cycle and planned release dates and locations for the hatchlings. We'll bring you more news on that soon!!!

-Khao Lak Diving

Turtle Video - Diving the Similan Islands

Again - The Similan Islands offer more than just great diving - look for great snorkeling too!

Here is a turtle right beside our boat while moored up.



thanks to David for this footage


-Similan Islands Diving

Snorkeling on the Similan Islands - Turtle Video

Snorkeling on the Similan Islands brings you face to face with some seriously incredible marine life.

Here is a turtle getting up close and personal. Listen for the laughter as the turtle just about kisses the camera!


-Similan Islands Diving

Similan Islands Turtle Education - Trip Report

Similan Islands Turtles and Reef Special Education Trip

Wicked Diving is committed to far more than just diving. We are very passionate about our environment and how to reduce our impact on it. We do this with more than just good intentions and talk. We use only organic, biodegradable soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Even our washing up soap is organic and biodegradable. We also require all of our professional dive courses to initiate and implement and ecological program. Each year we donate 10% of our profits to local NGO's to improve the community around us.

But one of the most important pieces of our environmental program - is our educational trips. While being famous for offering the first and most thorough Whale Shark research trips in Thailand, we also offer trips that educate and raise awareness regarding Sharks & Rays, Turtles and even trips to our locals wrecks and pinnacles.

From the 5^th to 7^th of December, Wicked Diving conducted the first special educational trip of the season! Our eager participants learned about the 7 species of sea turtles, of which four hang around in the Andaman Sea: Leatherback, Hawksbill, Green and Olive Ridley's Turtles!

On each night of the trip our own Marine Biologist, Karina, conducted a presentation about Turtles. Ranging from the sea turtles life cycle to how and why they have adapted to live on the sea. We also shared information on what is the main threat to Turtles (humans - but in ways you might now expect!) Of course it does no good to just comment about the turtles and their threats - current research and conservation efforts were also shared. Most importantly - we learned about how can we help the Turtles and what we can do to make life easier for these endangered species!

We visited Similan Island #1. This island is off limits to all visitors (snorkeling and diving). as it is a Turtle sanctuary and hatchery. However, with special permission granted by the generous Rangers of the Similan Islands National Park, we were lucky enough to visit this remote location.

The nesting beach is protected from all visitors to prevent any disturbance to nesting turtles or to any freshly released hatchlings.

Ever vigilant - the rangers watch for signs of nesting (disturbed sand and tracks). Once the Turtles lay their eggs, the rangers will mark the nests and raise the eggs.

The sanctuary consists of 6 tanks to hold the new born turtles and nurse them for some months until they will have a larger size and a better chance of survival when placed back in the sea.

We learned that one of the biggest hazards to Turtle nesting is the cleanliness of the beaches. If there is too much rubbish, then the turtles can't actually dig their nests.

As part of all our educational programs - we strongly emphasize what we do DO. for the Turtle Education trip, we decided to embark on both an extensive beach cleanup, but also a reef cleanup.

As you can see, it took some effort! All guests and staff took part in this. Of course spending a day on one the most remote beaches in the world, helping preserve turtle hatching areas and enjoying life is not exactly the hardest work - but just look at how much rubbish we collected!

Of course there was more than just the beaches!

“TURTLE” someone joyously yelled as we were having a break time while moored on Donald Duck Bay at Similan Island #8. And there it was: a beautiful big sea turtle swimming on the side of our boat. Snorkels and cameras on, lets enjoy the meeting with this so ancestral, endangered and amazing animal!

Unfortunately the turtles approach the boats expecting to get food. Some dive operators try to impress their customers by feeding them with bread and bananas! This is both harmful as the foods are foreign to the ecosystems of the turtles - but it is also very harmful in another way. If the turtles were to approach a fishing boat - they are simply plucked out of the water and eaten! So to impress their guests, they are killing the turtles :(

At Wicked Diving we understand that creating dependence and disturbing feeding habits is not the way… We strongly discourage feeding and touching of any wild life! If you are with a dive or snorkel operator that feeds the fish - please point out the hazards of this horrible habit. Or even better - chose a dive operator that does not partake of such activities.

All the participants in our Turtle Educational tour were certified as Naturalist Divers as they also learned about the reefs, gastropods, cephalopods, arthropods, etc...

Sounds like a lot? It's just the marine life we see underwater everyday! Would you like to learn more? Come join us on our next special education trip - Manta Ray and Whale shark Conservation and Research on February 6- 8 2010!

As always - when you dive with Wicked, you make a difference!

-Similan Diving

Dive with Turtles, learn about Turtles and help preserve the turtles of Thailand!

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years. Now the 7 global species of Marine Turtles are all in serious decline throughout most of their range. Habitat degradation, pollution, egg poaching and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct. Historically, five of these species have been found in Thai waters, although there have been no records of the loggerhead turtle in the last 15 years. The four species of marine turtles that can still be found in Thai waters are below

In November and December We will be offering an incredible opportunity to learn about and dive with Turtles on the Similan Islands

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The green turtle is found in scattered areas in both the Andaman and South China Sea coasts, nesting in both areas. They are listed as globally threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and are protected by International Law (CITES) and Thai Law. Seen occasionally at East of Eden

The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill turtles are found near off-shore islands in the coastal waters of the Andaman Sea, and the northern Gulf of Thailand. They are listed as "Critically Endangered" in IUCN's Red List. It is listed in CITES, and is protected by Thai Law. Frequently seen on Breakfast Bend.

The Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
The number of nests on three major nesting beaches has declined dramatically between 1985 and 2002. Olive Ridley's are listed as "Endangered" by IUCN, and are protected by CITES and Thai Law. Not observed on Similan Islands many years

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback is only known to nest on the Andaman Coast. The leatherback has been listed as globally endangered since 1970, and was confirmed as "Critically Endangered in Thailand" in 1996. It is listed in CITES, and is also protected by Thai Law. While not seen on the Similans, they have been observed nesting on several beaches in the area.

The sea turtle is a reptile which spends all of its life in water. It obviously needs to go to the surface from time to time, to breathe air. Bear in mind they can actually drown if frightened by divers.
The natural longevity of the sea turtles is not entirely known, but they grow very slowly taking about 15 years to reach maturity.The sea turtle's diet includes sponges, marine worms, corals and even jellyfish
The distribution of turtles in Thai waters is spread out along the fine sand quiet beaches of the coastline and islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. These two geographical areas also reflect different nesting times of the turtles.
In the Gulf of Thailand the most important nesting areas for green and hawksbill turtles are Khram and adjacent islands which are located in the inner Gulf, Chonburi Province. There are some islands along the east coast from Chonburi, Rayong and Trat Province and some islands in the middle Gulf of Chumphon and Surat Thani Province where sea turtles are occasionally found. In the Gulf areas, green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs all year round with the peak from May to August.
In the Andaman Sea coastal areas of Thailand, the main nesting areas are north-west coast of Phuket, and Phang Nga provinces. In particular these areas include Thai Muang Beach and Phrathong Island, Maikhao beach Phuket, Tarutao Island and Adang-Rawi Islands of Satun Province . Olive ridley and (occasionally) Leatherback turtles are found in these areas. The green and hawksbill are found at the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and Tarutao Islands. The nesting season of sea turtles in the Andaman Sea region occurs only from October to March with a peak from mid-November to mid-January.

The females come ashore after dusk, but they have been observed nesting until just before dawn. They select their nesting site and dig a small pit 18 inches deep using their rear flippers. A clutch of between 40 to 180 eggs will be laid, after which the pit will be carefully concealed by sand before they return to the sea. The whole process usually takes about one hour. During the egg laying, the eyes of the turtle will be covered by a colrless mucus to prevent dehydration and keep out the sand grains.
After an incubation period of 60 days, the hatchlings dig their way up to the surface of the pit, usually at night when the sand is cooler. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but distant house lights can disorient the youngsters so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
Turtles are most commonly seen in shallow reefs on similan dive sites such as East of Eden or Breakfast Bend but you may see them deeper on rocky sites such as Elephant Head Rock or Deep Six. The usual sightings are Hawksbill and Green turtles.
At Thai Muang (National Park) beach, Leatherback and Olive Ridley are often seen nesting. There is an annual 7 day event here, usually during the first week of March, to release young turtle hatchlings, which have been raised by the Fisheries Department, back into the sea.

THREATS TO MARINE TURTLES IN THAILAND

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years, but egg poaching, habitat degradation, pollution, and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct.
The main threats to turtles in Thailand can be summarized as follows:
* Threats to marine turtles from fisheries
* Entanglement (mostly accidental) and drowning in long-line fisheries and shrimp trawling nets
* Much of both the coastal and open seas areas used by turtles is also used by fishermen. Because of this, each year, many turtles are killed (often unintentionally) by entanglement in fishing gear and drowning. Some injured and exhausted turtles are released from nets before they die, but their subsequent fate is uncertain.
* Threats to marine turtles from consumption and trade
* Turtle eggs are also easy to collect, and highly nutritious. In some cultures they are also suggested to have aphrodisiac properties. Turtles have also been hunted for their shells that are used for ornaments, sunglasses and in jewelery. Their hides are cured for leather. In Asia, there has been a long tradition of consuming turtle flesh and eggs for thousands of years. Historically turtle shell has also been traded in the region for hundreds of years.
* Threats to marine turtles from coastal development
* The construction of seawalls, hotels, marinas, and other infrastructure associated with coastal tourism and commerce, have destroyed large areas of turtle nesting beaches around the world.
* Disruptive activities on or near nesting beaches during nesting season, such as activity, noise, lights, etc.
* Turtle reproductive behavior evolved in an environment of deserted, intact beaches. Nowadays, light and noise pollution frequently deter or interrupt many females from successful laying. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but house and street lights can disorient newly hatched turtles so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
* Pollution of the oceans, including chemical contamination
* The ingestion of plastic bags and other garbage

If you are interested in Turtles - why not join us in November & December for a our Similan Turtle Tour - Diving and snorkeling with turtles while learning about them and how you can help their continued survival?

-Similan Diving

Turtle & Reef Education on the Similan Islands

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years. Now the 7 global species of Marine Turtles are all in serious decline throughout most of their range. Habitat degradation, pollution, egg poaching and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct. Historically, five of these species have been found in Thai waters, although there have been no records of the loggerhead turtle in the last 15 years. The four species of marine turtles that can still be found in Thai waters are below

In Novmeber and December We will be offering an incredible opportunity to learn about and dive with Turtles on the Similan Islands

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The green turtle is found in scattered areas in both the Andaman and South China Sea coasts, nesting in both areas. They are listed as globally threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and are protected by International Law (CITES) and Thai Law. Seen occasionally at East of Eden

The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill turtles are found near off-shore islands in the coastal waters of the Andaman Sea, and the northern Gulf of Thailand. They are listed as "Critically Endangered" in IUCN's Red List. It is listed in CITES, and is protected by Thai Law. Frequently seen on Breakfast Bend.

The Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
The number of nests on three major nesting beaches has declined dramatically between 1985 and 2002. Olive Ridley's are listed as "Endangered" by IUCN, and are protected by CITES and Thai Law. Not observed on Similan Islands many years

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback is only known to nest on the Andaman Coast. The leatherback has been listed as globally endangered since 1970, and was confirmed as "Critically Endangered in Thailand" in 1996. It is listed in CITES, and is also protected by Thai Law. While not seen on the Similans, they have been observed nesting on several beaches in the area.

The sea turtle is a reptile which spends all of its life in water. It obviously needs to go to the surface from time to time, to breathe air. Bear in mind they can actually drown if frightened by divers.
The natural longevity of the sea turtles is not entirely known, but they grow very slowly taking about 15 years to reach maturity.The sea turtle's diet includes sponges, marine worms, corals and even jellyfish
The distribution of turtles in Thai waters is spread out along the fine sand quiet beaches of the coastline and islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. These two geographical areas also reflect different nesting times of the turtles.
In the Gulf of Thailand the most important nesting areas for green and hawksbill turtles are Khram and adjacent islands which are located in the inner Gulf, Chonburi Province. There are some islands along the east coast from Chonburi, Rayong and Trat Province and some islands in the middle Gulf of Chumphon and Surat Thani Province where sea turtles are occasionally found. In the Gulf areas, green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs all year round with the peak from May to August.
In the Andaman Sea coastal areas of Thailand, the main nesting areas are north-west coast of Phuket, and Phang Nga provinces. In particular these areas include Thai Muang Beach and Phrathong Island, Maikhao beach Phuket, Tarutao Island and Adang-Rawi Islands of Satun Province . Olive ridley and (occasionally) Leatherback turtles are found in these areas. The green and hawksbill are found at the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and Tarutao Islands. The nesting season of sea turtles in the Andaman Sea region occurs only from October to March with a peak from mid-November to mid-January.

The females come ashore after dusk, but they have been observed nesting until just before dawn. They select their nesting site and dig a small pit 18 inches deep using their rear flippers. A clutch of between 40 to 180 eggs will be laid, after which the pit will be carefully concealed by sand before they return to the sea. The whole process usually takes about one hour. During the egg laying, the eyes of the turtle will be covered by a colrless mucus to prevent dehydration and keep out the sand grains.
After an incubation period of 60 days, the hatchlings dig their way up to the surface of the pit, usually at night when the sand is cooler. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but distant house lights can disorient the youngsters so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
Turtles are most commonly seen in shallow reefs on similan dive sites such as East of Eden or Breakfast Bend but you may see them deeper on rocky sites such as Elephant Head Rock or Deep Six. The usual sightings are Hawksbill and Green turtles.
At Thai Muang (National Park) beach, Leatherback and Olive Ridley are often seen nesting. There is an annual 7 day event here, usually during the first week of March, to release young turtle hatchlings, which have been raised by the Fisheries Department, back into the sea.

THREATS TO MARINE TURTLES IN THAILAND

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years, but egg poaching, habitat degradation, pollution, and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct.
The main threats to turtles in Thailand can be summarized as follows:
* Threats to marine turtles from fisheries
* Entanglement (mostly accidental) and drowning in long-line fisheries and shrimp trawling nets
* Much of both the coastal and open seas areas used by turtles is also used by fishermen. Because of this, each year, many turtles are killed (often unintentionally) by entanglement in fishing gear and drowning. Some injured and exhausted turtles are released from nets before they die, but their subsequent fate is uncertain.
* Threats to marine turtles from consumption and trade
* Turtle eggs are also easy to collect, and highly nutritious. In some cultures they are also suggested to have aphrodisiac properties. Turtles have also been hunted for their shells that are used for ornaments, sunglasses and in jewelery. Their hides are cured for leather. In Asia, there has been a long tradition of consuming turtle flesh and eggs for thousands of years. Historically turtle shell has also been traded in the region for hundreds of years.
* Threats to marine turtles from coastal development
* The construction of seawalls, hotels, marinas, and other infrastructure associated with coastal tourism and commerce, have destroyed large areas of turtle nesting beaches around the world.
* Disruptive activities on or near nesting beaches during nesting season, such as activity, noise, lights, etc.
* Turtle reproductive behavior evolved in an environment of deserted, intact beaches. Nowadays, light and noise pollution frequently deter or interrupt many females from successful laying. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but house and street lights can disorient newly hatched turtles so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
* Pollution of the oceans, including chemical contamination
* The ingestion of plastic bags and other garbage

If you are interested in Turtles - why not join us in November & December for a our Similan Turtle Tour - Diving and snorkeling with turtles while learning about them and how you can help their continued survival?

-Similan Diving

Similan Islands - Turtles & reefs tours in December

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years. Now the 7 global species of Marine Turtles are all in serious decline throughout most of their range. Habitat degradation, pollution, egg poaching and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct. Historically, five of these species have been found in Thai waters, although there have been no records of the loggerhead turtle in the last 15 years. The four species of marine turtles that can still be found in Thai waters are below

In Novmeber and December We will be offering an incredible opportunity to learn about and dive with Turtles on the Similan Islands

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The green turtle is found in scattered areas in both the Andaman and South China Sea coasts, nesting in both areas. They are listed as globally threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and are protected by International Law (CITES) and Thai Law. Seen occasionally at East of Eden

The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill turtles are found near off-shore islands in the coastal waters of the Andaman Sea, and the northern Gulf of Thailand. They are listed as "Critically Endangered" in IUCN's Red List. It is listed in CITES, and is protected by Thai Law. Frequently seen on Breakfast Bend.

The Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
The number of nests on three major nesting beaches has declined dramatically between 1985 and 2002. Olive Ridley's are listed as "Endangered" by IUCN, and are protected by CITES and Thai Law. Not observed on Similan Islands many years

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback is only known to nest on the Andaman Coast. The leatherback has been listed as globally endangered since 1970, and was confirmed as "Critically Endangered in Thailand" in 1996. It is listed in CITES, and is also protected by Thai Law. While not seen on the Similans, they have been observed nesting on several beaches in the area.

The sea turtle is a reptile which spends all of its life in water. It obviously needs to go to the surface from time to time, to breathe air. Bear in mind they can actually drown if frightened by divers.
The natural longevity of the sea turtles is not entirely known, but they grow very slowly taking about 15 years to reach maturity.The sea turtle's diet includes sponges, marine worms, corals and even jellyfish
The distribution of turtles in Thai waters is spread out along the fine sand quiet beaches of the coastline and islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. These two geographical areas also reflect different nesting times of the turtles.
In the Gulf of Thailand the most important nesting areas for green and hawksbill turtles are Khram and adjacent islands which are located in the inner Gulf, Chonburi Province. There are some islands along the east coast from Chonburi, Rayong and Trat Province and some islands in the middle Gulf of Chumphon and Surat Thani Province where sea turtles are occasionally found. In the Gulf areas, green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs all year round with the peak from May to August.
In the Andaman Sea coastal areas of Thailand, the main nesting areas are north-west coast of Phuket, and Phang Nga provinces. In particular these areas include Thai Muang Beach and Phrathong Island, Maikhao beach Phuket, Tarutao Island and Adang-Rawi Islands of Satun Province . Olive ridley and (occasionally) Leatherback turtles are found in these areas. The green and hawksbill are found at the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and Tarutao Islands. The nesting season of sea turtles in the Andaman Sea region occurs only from October to March with a peak from mid-November to mid-January.

The females come ashore after dusk, but they have been observed nesting until just before dawn. They select their nesting site and dig a small pit 18 inches deep using their rear flippers. A clutch of between 40 to 180 eggs will be laid, after which the pit will be carefully concealed by sand before they return to the sea. The whole process usually takes about one hour. During the egg laying, the eyes of the turtle will be covered by a colrless mucus to prevent dehydration and keep out the sand grains.
After an incubation period of 60 days, the hatchlings dig their way up to the surface of the pit, usually at night when the sand is cooler. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but distant house lights can disorient the youngsters so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
Turtles are most commonly seen in shallow reefs on similan dive sites such as East of Eden or Breakfast Bend but you may see them deeper on rocky sites such as Elephant Head Rock or Deep Six. The usual sightings are Hawksbill and Green turtles.
At Thai Muang (National Park) beach, Leatherback and Olive Ridley are often seen nesting. There is an annual 7 day event here, usually during the first week of March, to release young turtle hatchlings, which have been raised by the Fisheries Department, back into the sea.

THREATS TO MARINE TURTLES IN THAILAND

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years, but egg poaching, habitat degradation, pollution, and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct.
The main threats to turtles in Thailand can be summarized as follows:
* Threats to marine turtles from fisheries
* Entanglement (mostly accidental) and drowning in long-line fisheries and shrimp trawling nets
* Much of both the coastal and open seas areas used by turtles is also used by fishermen. Because of this, each year, many turtles are killed (often unintentionally) by entanglement in fishing gear and drowning. Some injured and exhausted turtles are released from nets before they die, but their subsequent fate is uncertain.
* Threats to marine turtles from consumption and trade
* Turtle eggs are also easy to collect, and highly nutritious. In some cultures they are also suggested to have aphrodisiac properties. Turtles have also been hunted for their shells that are used for ornaments, sunglasses and in jewelery. Their hides are cured for leather. In Asia, there has been a long tradition of consuming turtle flesh and eggs for thousands of years. Historically turtle shell has also been traded in the region for hundreds of years.
* Threats to marine turtles from coastal development
* The construction of seawalls, hotels, marinas, and other infrastructure associated with coastal tourism and commerce, have destroyed large areas of turtle nesting beaches around the world.
* Disruptive activities on or near nesting beaches during nesting season, such as activity, noise, lights, etc.
* Turtle reproductive behavior evolved in an environment of deserted, intact beaches. Nowadays, light and noise pollution frequently deter or interrupt many females from successful laying. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but house and street lights can disorient newly hatched turtles so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
* Pollution of the oceans, including chemical contamination
* The ingestion of plastic bags and other garbage

If you are interested in Turtles - why not join us in November & December for a our Similan Turtle Tour - Diving and snorkeling with turtles while learning about them and how you can help their continued survival?

-Similan Diving

Diving With Turtles in Thailand

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years. Now the 7 global species of Marine Turtles are all in serious decline throughout most of their range. Habitat degradation, pollution, egg poaching and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct. Historically, five of these species have been found in Thai waters, although there have been no records of the loggerhead turtle in the last 15 years. The four species of marine turtles that can still be found in Thai waters are below

In Novmeber and December We will be offering an incredible opportunity to learn about and dive with Turtles on the Similan Islands

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The green turtle is found in scattered areas in both the Andaman and South China Sea coasts, nesting in both areas. They are listed as globally threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and are protected by International Law (CITES) and Thai Law. Seen occasionally at East of Eden

The Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill turtles are found near off-shore islands in the coastal waters of the Andaman Sea, and the northern Gulf of Thailand. They are listed as "Critically Endangered" in IUCN's Red List. It is listed in CITES, and is protected by Thai Law. Frequently seen on Breakfast Bend.

The Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
The number of nests on three major nesting beaches has declined dramatically between 1985 and 2002. Olive Ridley's are listed as "Endangered" by IUCN, and are protected by CITES and Thai Law. Not observed on Similan Islands many years

The Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
The leatherback is only known to nest on the Andaman Coast. The leatherback has been listed as globally endangered since 1970, and was confirmed as "Critically Endangered in Thailand" in 1996. It is listed in CITES, and is also protected by Thai Law. While not seen on the Similans, they have been observed nesting on several beaches in the area.

The sea turtle is a reptile which spends all of its life in water. It obviously needs to go to the surface from time to time, to breathe air. Bear in mind they can actually drown if frightened by divers.
The natural longevity of the sea turtles is not entirely known, but they grow very slowly taking about 15 years to reach maturity.The sea turtle's diet includes sponges, marine worms, corals and even jellyfish
The distribution of turtles in Thai waters is spread out along the fine sand quiet beaches of the coastline and islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. These two geographical areas also reflect different nesting times of the turtles.
In the Gulf of Thailand the most important nesting areas for green and hawksbill turtles are Khram and adjacent islands which are located in the inner Gulf, Chonburi Province. There are some islands along the east coast from Chonburi, Rayong and Trat Province and some islands in the middle Gulf of Chumphon and Surat Thani Province where sea turtles are occasionally found. In the Gulf areas, green and hawksbill turtles lay their eggs all year round with the peak from May to August.
In the Andaman Sea coastal areas of Thailand, the main nesting areas are north-west coast of Phuket, and Phang Nga provinces. In particular these areas include Thai Muang Beach and Phrathong Island, Maikhao beach Phuket, Tarutao Island and Adang-Rawi Islands of Satun Province . Olive ridley and (occasionally) Leatherback turtles are found in these areas. The green and hawksbill are found at the Similan Islands, Surin Islands and Tarutao Islands. The nesting season of sea turtles in the Andaman Sea region occurs only from October to March with a peak from mid-November to mid-January.

The females come ashore after dusk, but they have been observed nesting until just before dawn. They select their nesting site and dig a small pit 18 inches deep using their rear flippers. A clutch of between 40 to 180 eggs will be laid, after which the pit will be carefully concealed by sand before they return to the sea. The whole process usually takes about one hour. During the egg laying, the eyes of the turtle will be covered by a colrless mucus to prevent dehydration and keep out the sand grains.
After an incubation period of 60 days, the hatchlings dig their way up to the surface of the pit, usually at night when the sand is cooler. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but distant house lights can disorient the youngsters so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
Turtles are most commonly seen in shallow reefs on similan dive sites such as East of Eden or Breakfast Bend but you may see them deeper on rocky sites such as Elephant Head Rock or Deep Six. The usual sightings are Hawksbill and Green turtles.
At Thai Muang (National Park) beach, Leatherback and Olive Ridley are often seen nesting. There is an annual 7 day event here, usually during the first week of March, to release young turtle hatchlings, which have been raised by the Fisheries Department, back into the sea.

THREATS TO MARINE TURTLES IN THAILAND

Sea turtles have lived on this planet for 130 million years, but egg poaching, habitat degradation, pollution, and over-fishing threaten to make them extinct.
The main threats to turtles in Thailand can be summarized as follows:
* Threats to marine turtles from fisheries
* Entanglement (mostly accidental) and drowning in long-line fisheries and shrimp trawling nets
* Much of both the coastal and open seas areas used by turtles is also used by fishermen. Because of this, each year, many turtles are killed (often unintentionally) by entanglement in fishing gear and drowning. Some injured and exhausted turtles are released from nets before they die, but their subsequent fate is uncertain.
* Threats to marine turtles from consumption and trade
* Turtle eggs are also easy to collect, and highly nutritious. In some cultures they are also suggested to have aphrodisiac properties. Turtles have also been hunted for their shells that are used for ornaments, sunglasses and in jewelery. Their hides are cured for leather. In Asia, there has been a long tradition of consuming turtle flesh and eggs for thousands of years. Historically turtle shell has also been traded in the region for hundreds of years.
* Threats to marine turtles from coastal development
* The construction of seawalls, hotels, marinas, and other infrastructure associated with coastal tourism and commerce, have destroyed large areas of turtle nesting beaches around the world.
* Disruptive activities on or near nesting beaches during nesting season, such as activity, noise, lights, etc.
* Turtle reproductive behavior evolved in an environment of deserted, intact beaches. Nowadays, light and noise pollution frequently deter or interrupt many females from successful laying. Hatchlings locate the water's edge by orienting themselves to the horizon, but house and street lights can disorient newly hatched turtles so that they actually crawl away from the sea.
* Pollution of the oceans, including chemical contamination
* The ingestion of plastic bags and other garbage

If you are interested in Turtles - why not join us in November & December for a our Similan Turtle Tour - Diving and snorkeling with turtles while learning about them and how you can help their continued survival?

-Similan Diving