SURAT THANI: A structure equipped with a security camera has been built to protect what local residents said is the first sea turtle nest found on a beach in a decade.
Samui district officials on Monday built a roof and wall to keep people away from the turtle nest on Wat Laem Sor beach in Muang district. (continues below)
Some sea turtle eggs are found on a nest. (Photo by Supapong Chaolan)
District chief Theerapong Chuaychu said the structure was to prevent people from disturbing the area and to monitor all movements around the nest, including the hatching of baby turtles in the future.
The nest is expected to contain between 150 and 200 sea turtles eggs, according to the officials.
People in the area said it was the first nest found in a decade, and there could be others. They believed the Covid-19 outbreak that shut down the country and kept tourists away had helped nature to rehabilitate itself.
Thailand is seeing a record number of sea turtle hatchings this year as the country's tourist numbers dwindle, leaving usually bustling beaches nearly empty and undisturbed. (Reuters video)