Many of our trips include the opportunity to observe nesting or hatching sea turtles, either as part of a holiday or as a volunteer placement. In many cases, well managed tourism contributes to the conservation of sea turtles, six out of the seven species of which are classified as vulnerable or endangered.

Turtle hatcheries are not sanctuaries, zoos, rescue or rehabilitation centres. They are used – or should be used – only when natural nesting conditions are threatened, such as by flooding, erosion, predation or heavy poaching. Success rates are extremely difficult to monitor, as once hatched, the young turtles disappear into the open ocean for up to a decade, and take between 10 and 30 years to reach maturity, depending on the species [1]. This means that issues such as ill health, disease, or of the gender of the turtles (the sex is determined by the temperature of the incubating eggs) may not become apparent until they return to nest – or not – in many years’ time.

Sri lanka's Turtle Care Centre at Kosgoda beach is one of 18 turtle hatcheries along the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The centre is located in the South Western coastal village of Kosgoda and was establised in 1981. It is also very popular as all five species of turtles that visit Sri Lanka nest in Kosgoda. This is not so with many of the other hatcheries around the island whose beaches host only some of the species.

The centre functions mainly as a hatchery and makes huge efforts to increase the rate of hatching, and survival of baby turtles in their very initial stages. However the Care centre also works on sick or injured adults; treating them and releasing them back into the ocean. They also run volunteer programs and awareness programs for local and international visitors.