SINGAPORE \u2013 The early years of Singapore\u2019s sea turtles have long been shrouded in mystery, but the public can now witness critically endangered hawksbill hatchlings getting a head start in life here.<\/p>\n
Under round-the-clock care at the Singapore Oceanarium, eight juvenile turtles, hatched from eggs originally laid on Kusu Island, will learn to forage in an enclosure. The habitat shields them from human observers \u2013 creating an environment where the reptiles remain unaware of their audience \u2013 much like the 1998 hit film The Truman Show.<\/p>\n
The programme to raise the species at risk of extinction in captivity will allow each turtle to reach a size that gives it a better chance of survival when released into the wild, National Parks Board\u2019s (NParks) National Biodiversity Centre group director Karenne Tun told the media on May 11.<\/p>\n
Only an estimated one in 1,000 baby sea turtles reaches adulthood after leaving the nest, as they face threats from predators, pollution and other environmental pressures.<\/p>\n
Typically, sea turtle eggs laid in unsuitable sites are relocated by NParks to Sisters\u2019 Islands Marine Park for hatching. By protecting hatchlings from human traffic and light pollution, they are more likely to return to beaches in the area to lay their eggs in 20 to 30 years.<\/p>\n
Dr Tun recalled an earlier nest of hatchlings near Raffles Lighthouse on Pulau Satumu<\/span><\/a>, where hatchlings guarded by the lighthouse keeper were gobbled up by reef sharks as soon as they toddled into the sea.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s when we thought, maybe we can release them when they can\u2019t be taken so easily,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n This was one of the motivations behind the 2019 launch of the hawksbill turtle head-starting programme, which began with 10 hatchlings at S.E.A. Aquarium, which has since evolved into the Singapore Oceanarium.<\/p>\n The pioneering cohort had an incredible survival rate, Dr Tun said. Except for one turtle that died of a liver disorder, the turtles were progressively released in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n The Singapore Oceanarium, in partnership with NParks, is undertaking a hawksbill turtle head-starting programme that supports the care of eight hatchlings.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Data from satellite tags fitted on three turtles showed that two headed south towards Indonesia, while another swam along the Strait of Malacca towards southern Thailand.<\/p>\n The current cohort \u2013 the second batch in the programme \u2013 represents the next phase of the collaboration between NParks and the oceanarium, with members of the public able to learn more about the turtles\u2019 behaviour and the threats they face.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you haven\u2019t had the chance to dive and see a turtle, this is a great opportunity to see a turtle up close \u2013 how they swim and how they surface to breathe,\u201d said Mr Tang Yong Jen, a conservation and science executive at Singapore Oceanarium.<\/p>\n A tinted film covering the Horizontal Migration Zone habitat prevents the turtles from becoming too familiar with humans, said Mr Nick Derbyshire, senior director of fish and invertebrates at Singapore Oceanarium.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they are part of conservation efforts, we haven\u2019t named them. These are purely animals here for a short period of time. The sole purpose is to get them through these early stages… then get them out there back in the wild,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hawksbill turtles swimming in their enclosure at the Singapore Oceanarium on May 11.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The eight hatchlings hail from the last documented nest of the 2025 turtle nesting<\/span><\/a> season in Singapore, representing about 6 per cent of the eggs in that nest. The nesting season typically runs from May to October. Notably, that season logged 19 nests, the highest count here since 2020.<\/p>\n Upon hatching in October 2025 at NParks\u2019 hatchery, they were taken to the Singapore Oceanarium, where they have been fed a heavily researched diet that includes crustaceans, vitamins and squid.<\/p>\n Figuring out food that fits the turtle\u2019s tiny mouths was one of the biggest challenges of the conservation process, said Mr Derbyshire, adding that the team worked hard to find the right nutritional content based on historical data and research on other sea turtle species.<\/p>\n Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor Kim Hie Lim, who is leading research into Singapore\u2019s sea turtles, said her team has extracted samples from hatchlings to analyse their genetic information and study their connections to the local turtle population.<\/p>\n Today, the turtles weigh an average of 1.2kg. An adult hawksbill can weigh about 50kg, and its lifespan can go up to 50 years, Mr Derbyshire said.<\/p>\n The juveniles have taken to exploring their new front-of-house habitat with gusto, cruising above the enclosure\u2019s artificial corals with their flippers tucked under their bodies, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are real characters. Some of them are a little bit more dominant. Some of them are a little bit more adventurous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The plan is for some of the turtles to be fitted with satellite trackers once they hit at least 6kg.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want them to be large enough so (that) the satellite tag doesn\u2019t weigh them down,\u201d Dr Tun explained.<\/p>\n Based on current growth rates, the turtles are expected to be ready for release from early 2027.<\/p>\n Two species of sea turtles frequent Singapore\u2019s coastal waters \u2013 the green turtle, which has recovered due to worldwide marine conservation efforts, and the hawksbill turtle.<\/p>\n Turtle sightings can be reported to NParks via its helpline on 1800-471-7300.<\/p>\n Those interested in participating in NParks\u2019 efforts to monitor sea turtle populations in Singapore can join NParks\u2019 Biodiversity Beach Patrol through its website<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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