Rare leatherback turtles caught on thermal imaging

Heat sensitive: A thermal image of marine officials standing near a leatherback turtle laying eggs in Phang Nga. — Reuters

THAI marine conservation officials have used thermal imaging equipment mounted on a drone to capture footage of a leatherback sea turtle, the world’s largest turtle species, coming to shore to lay eggs.

Leatherback sea turtles are classified as vulnerable on the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with populations declining due to habitat loss, poaching, and plastic pollution.