He said:"The nest site is next to a construction site, which is brightly lit at night."
Turtle hatchlings use environmental cues, including the moonlight, to make their way from sand to sea. Light from other sources could confuse the young turtles.The hope is that when the baby turtles emerge from the hatchery, the females would"imprint" on the beach - orienting themselves using the earth's magnetic field to return to Singapore's Southern Islands to nest when they become sexually mature in 25 years or so.
Mr Tong said NParks is able to control temperatures at the hatchery, maintaining sand temperatures at about 29 deg C, so it is more likely that a mix of male and female turtles would hatch from the clutch. Hawksbill turtle nests have been spotted along Singapore's eastern coast, from Changi to the beaches along East Coast Park. But their nesting grounds may be under threat if land reclamation works take place along the eastern coast.He said:"I have mixed thoughts about the possibility that East Coast might be reclaimed further. Singapore needs more land, but we're not sure about how it will affect the turtles.
"But if the development eventually goes ahead and is done in a careful way, such as if it is done in segments, turtles will still have room to nest. This way, a balance can be struck."
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