Turtle season review 2022/23

As the laying season for Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles in Maputaland draws to a close, we reflect on the incredible year we’ve had. Our guests witnessed the majestic sight of these massive creatures hauling themselves up the beach to lay their eggs.

Technical Stuff

Leatherback Turtles, the largest of all sea turtles, and Loggerhead Turtles, known for their large, blocky heads, travel great distances to reach their nesting grounds. They come ashore in Maputaland between November and March each year to lay their eggs.

Female turtles come ashore several times to lay clutches of eggs in a carefully constructed nest. Our guests had the opportunity to witness these awe-inspiring creatures digging nests with their hind flippers and laying up to 100 eggs per nest. After laying the eggs, the females cover the nest with sand and return to the ocean.

After around 60 days, the eggs hatch, and tiny turtle hatchlings emerge from the sand. Our guests saw these tiny turtles make their perilous journey to the ocean, avoiding predators such as birds and crabs. It’s inspiring to see the work that’s being done to protect these incredible creatures, even though only a small percentage of hatchlings survive to adulthood.

Big Skies 22/23 report

The laying season for Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles in Maputaland is a popular tourist attraction, and we’re thrilled to have been a part of it this year. Our guided tours enabled our guests to observe the turtles nesting and learn about the nesting process and how to help protect these magnificent creatures. To stay up to date with this, please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram.

We’re grateful for the incredible year of turtle watching we’ve had, and it’s a reminder of the importance of protecting these amazing creatures and their habitat. We eagerly anticipate welcoming more guests to our camp next year for another unforgettable season of turtle watching in Maputaland.