Ecowatch: Will this leatherback turtle's eggs hatch?

Leatherback sea turtles have not been seen on Terengganu beaches since 2017. The landing of a female in September 2026 was celebrated nationally but whether the eggs she laid will hatch remains to be seen. — 123rf

IT is believed that the eggs gathered from the last leatherback turtle landing in 2017 failed to hatch because they were unfertilised, says the Fisheries Department.

In an e-mail statement to The Star in September 2026, the department said, according to records from the Rantau Abang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre, two nesting events were recorded in 2017, producing 124 eggs all together.

“After the incubation period, the unhatched eggs were opened and examined. None showed signs of embryo development. Based on that observation, the eggs are believed to have been unfertilised.”

The department says since the status and composition of the male leatherback turtle population in the wild could not be determined at the time, lack of ­fertilisation could not be ruled out as a possible factor in the failure of the eggs to hatch.

“These findings were based on the observations and examinations carried out at the time,” the department says.

In the latest landings in 2026, for the Sept 1 and 13 events, the mother turtle had returned to the sea before the nest was found. Therefore experienced turtle monitoring officers initially identified the leatherback landing through a technical assessment of several features at the nesting sites, particularly the pattern and width of the tracks, the size of the eggs, and the characteristics of the nests. (See "Ecowatch: A leatherback returns – but is it a species comeback?")

“The identification was based on these features taken together, rather than on any single feature.”

In the third landing, on Sept 22, the mother turtle was seen, providing confirmation of the presence of the species on Terengganu’s beaches after a long absence.

It is still too early to tell if this batch of 195 eggs will hatch successfully, the department says, because the eggs are still being incubated.

“Leatherback turtle eggs generally take about 50 to 70 days to hatch, depending on conditions in the nest.”

Hatching success and egg viability are affected by several factors, including whether the eggs were fertilised and the embryos develop, the physical condition of the eggs, (and if left in situ) sand temperature and moisture, nest ventilation, rainfall, seawater flooding, and predators.

“How the eggs are handled and for how long during relocation also matters in minimising disruption to embryo development,” says the department.

The department will continue to monitor the eggs regularly throughout incubation in accordance with its management and conservation procedures.

The department says it will continue to strengthen protection through beach patrols, the protection of nests and eggs, incubation management, and cooperation with local communities and other stakeholders.

“To prevent disturbance when turtles come ashore, the department will tighten controls at nesting sites, including limiting the number of people present, restricting the use of lights and camera flashes, and allowing only relevant personnel to approach the turtles for monitoring.

“The main threats to leatherbacks include accidental capture in fishing gear, marine litter, pollution, development and disturbance of nesting beaches, artificial lighting, and climate change,” it says.

It advises members of the public not to crowd around, touch, or disturb turtles that come ashore to nest, and to notify the department promptly if they encounter a nesting turtle.