With nature being a great source of wonder to its surrounding inhabitants, one natural phenomenon that captures the hearts of children and adults alike is that of sea turtle hatchings. Sea turtles are one of the most beloved creatures on this planet, but this obsession with them has also led to shrinking numbers of their population. This is why yearly sea turtle hatchings are so important - because they allow these creatures to repopulate and begin their lives in the ocean.

How Do These Sea Turtle Hatchings Work?

Each summer, pregnant female sea turtles return to the beaches they once hatched from in order to find a nesting spot. After locating a perfect location, much like a human would look for their ideal doctor or hospital, the sea turtle digs her nest and lays her eggs, which generally takes up to a few hours. However, the mother doesn’t stick around for much longer. Instead, she returns to the ocean, leaving it up to fate whatever happens to her eggs. For this reason, many environmental activists and volunteers have taken measures to preserve and protect these eggs from predators and human touch so that each sea turtle has a chance to make it into the ocean once hatched.

The sea turtle can lay up to 100 eggs, which remain in the sand for about 60 days. What many may not know is that the temperature of the sand often decides the gender of the hatchlings. Cooler sand will generally produce more males, while warmer sand produces more females.

When the time has come to hatch, the sea turtles generally hatch at the same exact time, as if they had some secret code passed along from egg to egg that told them when to emerge. It is then time to make their way towards the ocean. During this time, they make themselves vulnerable to spying predators and curious beachgoers, which is again why many conservationists keep a close eye on these turtles from the time they were put in the nest until the moment they go out to sea. For this reason, many sea turtles will often wait until nighttime to hatch. Those that make it out often flock to the open ocean or collections of brown seaweed, sometimes swimming for up to 48 hours until they reach this destination, where some spend their first years hiding, growing and maturing.

Witnessing a sea turtle hatching is one of the most memorable experiences an individual can have, but they must also be sure to keep their distance so as not to disrupt this natural process.