Turtle watching is one of the most awe-inspiring excursions to do in the Maldives, to view these beautiful creatures up close is a pleasure, but they lead a very precarious early life and need all the support they can get! One of founders, Spencer, visited the Victor Hassleblad Sea Turtle Hatchery earlier this summer to see some of the amazing work they do. 5 of the 7 species of sea turtle are native to Sri Lanka, and the ones you are most likely to see in the Maldives.

This is the oldest Conservation and Research project started in Sri Lanka in early 1978. It was at a time when all 7 species of sea turtles were on the Endangered list. Of the 7 species, 5 of the species were found to be frequenting the beaches of the southern coast of Sri Lanka where they beached to lay their eggs. These eggs were collected by the villagers and sold on the open market, reasons ranging from selling to collectors to being a source of food.

It was about this time when the famous Swedish camera maker Victor Hasselblad, whose cameras were the first to be used on the moon, came into the picture. He happened to be a close friend of the highly renowned Sri Lankan bird photographer, Dr Upane de Zylva , and Victor, having similar interests in photography, had donated to Dr Zylva to be used in any form of conservation and research, in Sri Lanka.

The late Dr. Siri Wickremesinghe happened to be close friend of Dr Zylva. Dr. Wickremesinghe, like his friend, had similar interests in wildlife and nature and the two of them decided that a turtle conservation project would be the best. It so happened that Dr Zylva knew Similiyas Abbrew, father of Chandrasiri and grandfather of Isuru, and when he told him about their intended project, he was only too happy to give part of his property to build the hatchery. Nape, in Kosgoda was a favourite beach for the turtles to lay their eggs, and so it all fell into place. Thanks to Victor Hasselblad and Dr.Zylva and Dr. Wickremesinghe, the turtles have found a safe haven, and they are increasing in numbers.

As well as conservation they are a sea turtle hospital and protection centre also, nursing injured turtle back to full health. Also protecting endangered species like Albino who can’t survive long in the wild.

Now they run a 24 hour hatchery operation, when eggs are laid, they empty the nests to avoid it being raided and incubate the eggs in safe surroundings. One hatched they keep them in special pools and move them as they grow, the smaller ones are likely to be taken by seabirds in the wild once hatched and out in the open so we let them grow to a safer size, then when ready they are released.

It is a wonderful experience to see the hatchlings, once released on the beach with a guard of honour to protect them, rushing to catch the first wave!

The Maldives Travel Society has pledged to match the ATOL protection cost, £2.50per person, and donate that to the centre at the end of every ATOL year in October.