Sea turtle nests logged in Singapore hits 5-year high

The sands of Singapore have yielded promising signs for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle in 2025, as the number of nests uncovered has hit a five-year high, The Straits Times has learnt.

- Ang Qing

With nearly two months still left in the yearly nesting season, 18 nests have already been found, said Dr Karenne Tun, National Parks Board's (NParks) group director of the National Biodiversity Centre.

This is up from an average of 11 nests recorded annually from 2021 to 2024.

No trend has been discernible so far from the rise in numbers, according to NParks.

Hawksbill turtles, named for their hawk-like beaks, are mainly found in tropical seas. They keep coral reefs healthy through their appetite for sponges, affording time for corals to grow slowly.

Yet, the hawksbill faces a host of man-made threats, including the loss of nesting beaches, reclamation and other land uses, sea pollution and the illegal wildlife trade, where their mottled shells are highly prized.

Every year from May to October, the hawksbill - one of Singapore's two sea turtle species - crawls ashore to lay dozens of eggs on beaches at hot spots such as East Coast Park and Changi.