Officials in Thailand’s Khao Lampee-Haad Thai Muang National Park, in the southern province of Phang-nga, were overjoyed today (Sunday) when this year’s first baby leatherback turtle hatched and emerged from its nest onto the beach.

According to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the baby turtle was spotted climbing out of its nest at 6.20am this morning and it was then taken to a nursery to be raised.

Park officials have been keeping a close watch on the nest, expecting more baby turtles to emerge.

A total of 104 leatherback turtle eggs were found at a nest on the beach outside the territory of the national park on November 17^th last year. 85 of them were found to be viable and were taken to another nest within the park’s territory to prevent them from being stolen by thieves.

Meanwhile, the Phang-nga-based Office of Marine and Coastal Resources was informed by villagers that they had found a turtle nest, believed to be that of a leatherback, at Bo Dan beach.

Park officials went to check and decided to leave the eggs there, confident that the place was safe enough.

The newly found nest was the sixth of this year in southern Thailand.