Sea turtles are on the top of the most endangered species on earth with a heritage that dates back to more than 100 million years. They are said to have lived during the age and era of the Dinosaurs. Currently it is said that there are about 8 varieties of turtles in existence and rapidly descending in number due to human destruction. They mate only once a year in the mid sea and the female turtles come to the shore to lay the eggs that can be up to more than a 100 at a given time. It is also known that the female turtles are used to go to lay their eggs in the same shore where they were born as an unbroken habit travelling thousands of miles across the sea and back after nesting.
Out of the eight varieties in existence around the world five types frequent the shores of Sri Lanka for nesting purposes every year. The ones found in Sri Lanka are namely Olive Ridley turtle, Loggerhead turtle, Green turtle, Hawksbill turtle and Leatherhead turtle. Their major nesting habitats are located in the Galle District in the coastal towns of Bentota, Induruwa, Kosgoda, Thibbattawa, Ahungalle, Balapitiya and Unawatuna as well as in the Hambantota District in the coastal towns of Rekawa, Wellodaya, Kahanda modara, Walawemodara and Yala. Walkers Tours Sri Lanka is a reputed travel agency who arrangeSri Lanka holidays that cover excursions visiting famous turtle hatcheries.
The turtles lay their eggs in the undisturbed sea shores in these areas during night time and get back to the sea. The eggs are usually hatched with the help of the warm sand that gets heated by the sun rays. The hatching time can go up to 60 days or less and the new born hatchlings make their way back directly to the sea on their own. However, this process is most of the time interrupted by mainly humans who remove the eggs as they are laid to sell for consumption and other predators at the point of hatchlings making their way to the sea. To protect this precious and rare endangered species from destruction, there are many turtle farms that have been formed in the coastal areas that buy the eggs from locals and facilitate the hatching process and releasing the young turtles to sea after three months since they are born. The most popular turtle farms are in Kosgoda and Peraliya in Telwatta Hikkaduwa where you can see all the five species of turtles in the hatching process.