Green sea turtle nesting ground discovered on Yongshu Jiao, signaling ecological vitality in Nansha Islands

Researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have, for the first time, discovered a green sea turtle nesting site on Yongshu Jiao, part of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, according to a statement sent to the Global Times from the CAS Nansha Station on Friday.

The discovery was made during routine ecological monitoring supported by the CAS Integrated Research Center for Islands and Reefs Sciences. CAS' Nansha station has conducted the study in coordination with local environmental protection authorities stationed on the reef.

During an ecological survey, researchers from the Nansha Station identified an approximately 30 cm-deep, irregularly shaped depression on the beach of Yongshu Jiao, with displaced sand scattered around it. The formation closely resembled the nesting patterns of green sea turtles, suggesting the presence of a turtle nesting cavity.

To confirm the finding, Nansha Station researchers launched a targeted investigation in collaboration with stationed environmental officials. By deploying monitoring equipment and conducting nighttime patrols, researchers successfully captured footage showing a sea turtle coming ashore and later returning to the ocean. They also collected eggs from the site for identification.

The eggs, roughly 4 centimeters in diameter, with tough, white shells, were identified as those of the green sea turtle. Based on these findings, the site was officially confirmed as a nesting ground for the species.

Additional evidence gathered from the scene included clear flipper tracks in the sand stretching from the shoreline to the nesting site and back, outlining a complete nesting route.

The retrieved turtle eggs were found closely clustered, encased in a moist sand layer, providing valuable material for studying the reproductive behavior of green sea turtles.

Green sea turtles are classified as a first-class protected species in China. The discovery of a new nesting site significantly bolsters conservation efforts for this endangered species.

Notably, the newly discovered nesting site lies about 800 kilometers south of previously known nesting sites on Beidao Island, part of the Xisha Islands, the Yongshu Jiao site further confirms that the healthy marine ecology of the Nansha waters offers favorable habitat conditions for the endangered marine life.

The Nansha Station and local environmental authorities plan to implement protective measures in the area and monitor environmental factors to support future research on hatching conditions. The discovery is expected to contribute to the advancement of China's marine ecological protection framework in the South China Sea and offer new data to global sea turtle conservation networks, the statement said.