Green sea turtle photographed on northeast Taiwan beach for first time

台灣東北沙灘首次拍到綠蠵龜

Turtle found on Yilan coast likely indicates expanding habitat due to warming ocean waters


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A green sea turtle was photographed on a beach in northern Taiwan’s Yilan County on Sunday (July 9), in what is reportedly the first recorded instance in history.

The turtle (Chelonia mydas) that came ashore weighed around 100 kg and was probably 100 cm long. It was photographed on Nan-ao’s Mystery Beach at around 2:30 a.m., reported UDN.

The turtle was spotted by people patrolling the beaches on behalf of the Taiwan Rural Wildlife Protection and Conservation Association. They alerted other members of the organization, and the turtle was monitored and filmed as it slowly made its way back to the ocean.

The green sea turtle is a first-class protected species in Taiwan, and is usually only found south of the Tropic of Cancer. It is known to nest on the shores of islands like Yilan, Lanyu, Penghu, as well as some beaches of Taitung.

The appearance of the turtle on Yilan’s Nan’ao beach has drawn the attention of conservationists and marine biologists. Although some elderly residents claim that tropical green sea turtles were spotted in the area many decades ago, this is the first green sea turtle to be photographed on a beach in northeast Taiwan.

Professor Cheng I-Jiunn (程一駿), a specialist who has studied the species for many years, said that he plans to investigate the site in the coming week to determine if the turtle laid eggs on the beach, reported UDN. Cheng believes the sighting may have significant implications.

According to Cheng, warming ocean waters have likely expanded the habitat and nesting range of the green sea turtle, which is known to lay eggs between May and October every year. If a clutch of eggs is discovered on the beach in Yilan, they can be expected to hatch in about 45 days.