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Marine Turtle Newsletter 22:3-4, © 1982

Turtle Hatcheries in Sri Lanka

R. S. B. Wickramsinghe
Wildlife & Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, Chaitiya Road, Marine Drive, Fort, Sri Lanka

A new turtle hatchery has been set up at Kosgoda on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, where accurate records are being maintained and all the hatchlings are weighed and measured and the species identified. This is in addition to the two other hatcheries set up earlier, namely at Bentota and Bermuda where speciation is not done. Kosgoda was chosen because it has been known for a long time by residents as a favourite rookery of marine turtles. In addition many beach dwellers have acquired an immense practical knowledge of turtle behaviour over the years. The first clutch of 141 leatherback eggs was buried on 10th December 1981 and by the 4th of January 1982, 11,159 eggs had been buried (Table 1).

Table 1 - From 10.12.81 to 4.4.82

*3,565 olive ridleys, 987 greens, 249 leatherbacks, 213 loggerheads, 205 hawksbills.

All five species nest at Kosgoda. Nesting starts about September, peaks in January and decreases by April. It is not unusual to have 7-8 turtles nesting at any given time, and once a member witnessed the beaching of 18 (leatherbacks and green turtles).

Taking all 3 hatcheries, the breakdown is as follows:

Olive ridleys are by far the commonest turtles nesting on these beaches. The green turtle comes next; hawksbill and leatherbacks are found equally and loggerheads appear to be rare. No flatback hatchlings have been found.