The eco-friendly surroundings of Ihuru received the most glowing tribute to date when a female Green Sea Turtle laid three nests of eggs on its shores in May 2001. Some 31 Green Sea Turtles were hatched from one of the nests on 28 June 2001 after 55 days of anticipation. The eggs in the other two nests are still under incubation.

The Green Sea Turtle, or Chelonia Mydas, is regarded as a threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Not much is known about the early life stages of this species as the young usually make their way to the ocean soon after hatching from their well-camouflaged nesting sites.

With the hatching of these young turtles, Angsana Maldives Ihuru and Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru kicked off research to gather valuable information that could save them from extinction. "Based on the research findings, we hope to heighten our understanding of the nature of young Green Sea Turtles and develop new nesting sites in the Maldives," explains Mr. Abdul Azeez Abdul Hakeem, the resort's marine consultant who is supervising the project.

For the purpose of the project, 10% of the baby turtles were retained while the rest made their way into the sea. The resort consulted a turtle specialist of Sarawak University of Malaysia for advice on the design of the baby turtle nurseries. The nurseries - one at Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru and the other at Angsana Maldives Ihuru - are half-submerged in the lagoons and surrounded by a man-made mesh to ensure a constant flow of seawater, while protecting the young from predators.

Staff from both resorts have been monitoring and documenting the turtles' progress closely, including the ratio of males to females, the size of their shells, their weight and growth rate, their behavior and their food preferences. The research will be carried out for a year, after which the baby turtles will be released back into the ocean on their first birthday in June 2002.

While direct contact with the baby turtles is discouraged, guests taking part in the escorted snorkeling safaris organized by the resorts can catch a glimpse of the turtles swimming in their spacious enclosures. They are also welcome to help our marine biologists find natural food for the turtles in the ocean, like filamentous seaweed that grows naturally around the house reef.

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