Leatherback turtles nest in record numbers on Great Nicobar Island

Female leatherback turtles laid 869 nests on a beach bordering Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago during the winter season ending in March.

Data from the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Department shows that this figure represents the highest number of leatherback nests recorded on any beach in the Indian Ocean for that season.

Researchers suggest that the population in the Northeastern Indian Ocean is thriving and expanding onto neighboring beaches because the turtles are being left alone. Hiltrud Cordes of the Turtle Foundation says Galathea Bay serves as the epicenter for this nesting population. The new data indicates that Galathea Bay hosts at least 175 leatherback mothers per year, which exceeds the estimated number of nesting mothers for all of Sumatra or the rest of the Andaman Islands.

These turtles carry a unique genetic record that researchers note is significant to the region.