To ensure that the turtles are healthy and growing normally, they are checked daily for signs of disease or stress, and monthly for growth in size and weight. The turtles occasionally bite each other during feeding times, or strike against the enclosure mesh, which often results in scars and bacterial infections. These are treated with antibiotics and the turtles are confined to the smaller enclosure in cases where isolation is required.
The turtles are marked by small notches in the marginal scutes (scales), which allows individual identification. They are measured for curved and straight carapace length using a tape measure and Vernier calipers, and are weighed on a scale accurate up to 2 grams. These measurements are taken following established scientific protocols, and are shared with scientists as much-needed growth data for young sea turtles.
At birth our green sea turtles weighed only 24 grams and were 7cm long. After one and a half years in the lagoons of Banyan Tree and Angsana they now weigh a substantial 7kg on average and measure 35cm in length. Hopefully, our projects will help them to reach adulthood with a respectable age of 70 years, weight of 500 - 600kg and length of 1m.
