Eighty-one baby turtles hatched on Magha Puja Day after their mother laid eggs on Patong Beach and they emerged early in the morning following a total incubation period of 52 days. The survival rate was 98.76%, with one turtle dying after being carried into a burrow by a ghost crab.
On 3 Mar 2026, the Upper Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center (UAMCRC) received notification from staff at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, Patong, that green turtle eggs laid on the hotel’s beachfront on 10 Jan 2026 had hatched around 2:00 a.m., completing an incubation period of 52 days.
Officials inspected the site and found 83 viable eggs, of which 81 hatched successfully; 2 eggs were unfertilized, resulting in a 100% hatching rate for viable eggs. One hatchling died after being dragged into a burrow by a ghost crab, resulting in a 98.76% survival rate. Staff arrived after 55 turtles had already crawled out of the enclosure, with 26 remaining inside. UAMCRC staff, together with Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort personnel, released the green turtles back into their natural habitat.
