DUNGUN: A leatherback turtle has returned to Rantau Abang Beach here and laid 81 eggs, after it was first recorded landing at Pasir Putih Beach in Marang on Sept 1, 2026.
Terengganu Fisheries Department director Pang Nyukang said the world's largest turtle species was believed to have landed at the beach between 1.30am and 2.30am on Sunday (Sept 13), with the nest discovered by a licensed turtle egg collector at 4am.
However, he said the mother turtle had returned to the sea and was no longer at the site when the nest was discovered.
"The Fisheries Department does not rule out the possibility that the leatherback turtle that landed was the same mother that landed and laid eggs at Pasir Putih Beach about two weeks ago," he said in a statement.
He said the tracks left by the "King of Turtles" measured 2.20m.
Pang said the eggs had been handed over to the Fisheries Department for incubation at the Turtle Conservation Centre Hatchery in Rantau Abang.
"The eggs are expected to hatch within 50 to 70 days," he said, adding that the mother turtle is expected to return to the Rantau Abang stretch of beach to lay eggs for the third time in about two weeks.
Bernama previously reported that a leatherback turtle landed at Pasir Putih Beach on the night of Sept 1 and laid 44 eggs.
The last recorded landing of the marine reptile on a Terengganu beach was in 2017. – Bernama
