Bartolome Island
The Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi) is the only species resident to the Galapagos. For much of the year we see these marine creatures only when they come to the sea surface to breathe. In the Galapagos the nesting period is from December to June with a peak in February. Right now, we have them fully in reproduction, which allows us to see them sometimes out of the water.
Marine turtles are not completely adapted to aquatic life and must come onto land to lay their eggs. Females then will come to the shore and climb up the beach until well above the high tide mark, leaving behind her a very well marked track.
The nesting process takes about three hours after which the female returns to the sea. Nesting usually occurs at night, and normally what we see is just the trail and the depression in the sand. Today that was not the case! All of us who went to the other side of Bartolome became witnesses of this incredible turtle’s behavior. A female turtle was on her way back to the water, and was carrying still a lot of sand on her back shell. Everyone was amazed to see the effort put out by the turtle to return to the sea after completing her task, while little by little, the same waves that pushed her onto shore the night before, were welcoming her back until she’s ready to begin her journey again…
The Pacific green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi) is the only species resident to the Galapagos. For much of the year we see these marine creatures only when they come to the sea surface to breathe. In the Galapagos the nesting period is from December to June with a peak in February. Right now, we have them fully in reproduction, which allows us to see them sometimes out of the water.
Marine turtles are not completely adapted to aquatic life and must come onto land to lay their eggs. Females then will come to the shore and climb up the beach until well above the high tide mark, leaving behind her a very well marked track.
The nesting process takes about three hours after which the female returns to the sea. Nesting usually occurs at night, and normally what we see is just the trail and the depression in the sand. Today that was not the case! All of us who went to the other side of Bartolome became witnesses of this incredible turtle’s behavior. A female turtle was on her way back to the water, and was carrying still a lot of sand on her back shell. Everyone was amazed to see the effort put out by the turtle to return to the sea after completing her task, while little by little, the same waves that pushed her onto shore the night before, were welcoming her back until she’s ready to begin her journey again…
