Be on the lookout, it’s Turtle Hatchling Season
Turtle hatchling season has begun along our coastline. The first hatchling was spotted along Solar Beach this past week. Keep an eye out for these tiny turtles during your beach walks—they’re often no bigger than a car key.
Remember, never return them to the water as they do not naturally occur along our temperate coastline as hatchlings. Every year, between March and May, large numbers of endangered loggerhead, and occasionally leatherback, turtles can wash up on beaches, but they’re not supposed to be there.
The turtles hatch in the much-warmer KwaZulu-Natal and usually swim into the warm Agulhas currents and “ride” the current southwards (“Grab shell, dude!”). However, a strong south-easterly wind and rough sea conditions can throw them off course and they end up in our colder Cape waters where they end up beaching along our coastline: stunned by the cold, dehydrated and sometimes injured.
If you find a hatchling, alive or deceased, please contact the Plett Marine Standing Hotline at (079) 463-4837 immediately.
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- Plett Ocean Festival: 04 – 13 July 2025
- Plett Wild Facebook Watch Series
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