Ningaloo Turtle Hatching Season: All You Need to Know

Aug 11

To experience the lifecycle of the mighty sea turtle is something many wildlife enthusiasts dream of. Whether it’s witnessing these so often sublime and graceful creatures lumbering onto the beach to lay their eggs, or catching sight of tiny little turtle hatchlings scampering to the water, being part of turtle hatching season is a once-in-a-life thing.

Ningaloo Reef on Australia’s western coast is one of the best places in the world to both swim with sea turtles and to see turtle hatchlings, but only if you visit during the right time of year. In this article, we xplore the Ningaloo turtle hatching season, and cover all you need to know.

Which Turtles Lay Eggs in Ningaloo?

Three species of sea turtle visit Ningaloo Reef to lay their eggs and hatch their young every year. Each species is protected under the Endangered Species Act. They are all either endangered or critically endangered.

The turtles that visit Ningaloo are:

Each of these species is large, measuring around 1 metre in length or more. They’re thrilling to see both swimming around the reef and when they come ashore to make their nests and lay their eggs.

What Season Do Turtles Lay their Eggs on the Ningaloo Coast?

The nesting season in Ningaloo starts in December and runs through to March. During this time, thousands of loggerhead and green turtles will make their way onto the beach, with a smattering of hawksbill turtles spotted too.

Turtles usually lay three times per season. Their collection of eggs, known as a clutch, is delicately placed in the sand and covered before they make their way back to sea. They’ll do this every two weeks until they’ve laid all their eggs.

Where Can I See Turtle Hatching in Exmouth & Ningaloo?

There are a few locations across the Ningaloo Coast that offer great opportunities to witness the Ningaloo turtle hatching season.

Near Exmouth town itself is the Jurabi Turtle Centre, found along the North Cape. Jurabi is well known for being a hotspot of turtle activity, with the research facility located here for that exact reason. Outside of Jurabi, you can visit nearby Five Mile Beach or Wobiri Beach. Elsewhere along the coast, Coral Bay, Shark Bay and Carnarvon all offer great locations for turtle hatching sightings.

When Will the Turtle Eggs Hatch?

Turtle hatching occurs around 40-60 days after the eggs have been laid. Since the last eggs are laid in early March, you can expect to see them all the way until the end of April. However, the majority of eggs are laid early in the season, which means February to March is the time of year that Ningaloo sees the most hatchlings. This is when guide groups will operate their tours.

How Many Turtles Lay Eggs on the Ningaloo Coast?

Ningaloo is noted as being one of the most important locations anywhere on the planet for green turtle and loggerhead turtle hatching and nesting. Over 10,000 turtle nests are dug every year along the Ningaloo coast. Since there are around 100-130 eggs in a turtle nest, this means more than 1 million eggs are laid along Ningaloo during turtle nesting season.

Ningaloo is considered one of the top three most important hatching areas for loggerhead turtles in particular, who visit in very high numbers.

How Many Hatchlings Will Survive?

It is thought that as few as 1 in every 10,000 sea turtle hatchlings will make it to adulthood. Although some estimates put this up to as high as 1 in 1,000.

So of the 1 million eggs laid, between 0.1% and 1% will survive.

That’s right, of the 1 million eggs laid, it is likely only around 100-1000 will reach maturity.

Fortunately, a fully-grown sea turtle has a lifespan of around 80 years, which means they’ll come back to these beaches for decades to help keep the population alive. But with so few of these hatchlings making it to adulthood, the turtles hatching on Ningaloo need as much help as they can get.

How Can I Get Involved in Turtle Hatching Season in Ningaloo?

There are three ways you can get involved in Ningaloo’s turtle hatching season:

Self-Guided - It is possible to view turtle laying and hatching by yourself on any of the beaches known as egg-laying spots. Be sure to read up on how to best view turtle laying and hatching before you do though, as improper conduct can disrupt behaviour. For example, torchlight can confuse hatchlings, so should be avoided.

Tours - Tours are available for turtle hatching experiences, run by local rangers and guides. These are excellent ways to get the most of your encounters, all while ensuring you are following animal welfare rules.

Volunteer - The Ningaloo Turtle Project is always looking for volunteers to help monitor turtle laying, hatching and help conserve the animals that visit Ningaloo, as well as participate in rescues and releases.