Leatherback turtle spotted nesting in St Lucia
The turtle was seen at around 7am digging a nest but did not hang around long before heading back into the sea
ST LUCIA was abuzz with excitement recently when a few fortunate residents witnessed a leatherback turtle digging a nest on one of the beaches.
While we are nearing the end of the official turtle season, weather conditions could have played a role in this turtle’s later laying.
According to St Lucia resident Maans Vorster who took the photograph, the turtle did not hang around for long but, to add to the excitement, a tiny leatherback hatchling was seen in the waves, making its way out to sea.
While turtle season officially runs from November to March, with most laying occurring in December and January and most hatchlings seen in February and March, if turtles are laying this late in the season, hatchlings could be seen as late as April this year.
Both the rare leatherback and the loggerhead turtles are found in our region.
The largest of all living turtles, adult leatherbacks typically weigh between 300 and 500kg and measure between 130 and 183cm.
The largest leatherback ever recorded in the world measured 305cm from beak to tail and weighed 916kg.
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