Turtle hatchlings released in sea off Sisters' Islands

Hatchlings from the first recorded hawksbill turtle nest of 2025 in Singapore took their earliest dip in the sea off Sisters' Islands on the morning of July 25.

- Ang Qing

Announcing their release, Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said on Facebook that the clutch of 123 eggs, belonging to the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, was uncovered by the National Parks Board (NParks) at East Coast Park in early June.

The location meant that the odds of survival would have been slim, said Mr Tan, as turtle eggs take about two months to hatch, during which they would have been threatened by high human traffic and predators, and risked being inundated by high tides.

To protect the turtles, the eggs were retrieved by NParks staff and moved to the Sisters' Islands Marine Park turtle hatchery, another popular nesting spot for marine turtles.

Of these, 76 babies set off on their journey to adulthood on July 25 after NParks measured them for research purposes.

Hawksbill turtles, named for their powerful beak-like mouth, typically visit Singapore's shores between May and October to lay their eggs.