Rare turtle lays eggs on tourist-free Thai beach

FILE PHOTO: A hawksbill sea turtle swims in a tank at the Sea Turtle Conservation Center of the Royal Thai Navy in Sattahip, Chonburi province, east of Bangkok June 16, 2009. Picture taken June 16, 2009. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A critically endangered turtle emerged from the sea to lay at least 80 eggs on a Thai beach just minutes before the start of World Environment Day - just one sign of how wildlife is making the most of the coronavirus pandemic limiting human movement.

The Hawksbill sea turtle chose a beach on Koh Samui, an island typically visited by several million people each year, and was tracked by veterinarians thanks to an implanted digital chip.