Hainan marine conservation efforts entice more sea turtles to nest

CGTN

Updated: 2026-09-26

Sansha is China's southernmost prefecture-level city in Hainan province. In recent years, the city has continued efforts to green its islands and reefs, restore coastlines, and plant corals. The improvements have also helped attract more green sea turtles — a nationally protected species — to the area.

North Island, deep in the South China Sea, is barely half a square kilometer, yet it hosts China's largest green sea turtle rookery. Currently, it is the peak of the laying season. These ocean navigators travel vast distances to nest on the very sand where they were born.

Tropical low-pressure systems have been frequently affecting the South China Sea recently. So fishermen on North Island, staff from the sea turtle rescue and conservation center, and researchers have stepped up patrols along the beaches and coastline. They check the condition of turtle nests and make sure marine debris does not block hatchlings from reaching the sea.

Chen Shan, a North Island fisherman, said, "Every morning we go out to patrol and see whether any sea turtles have come ashore to lay eggs. If we find one, we put up a sign at the nest, register it and record its location."

An AI-based sea turtle identification system has been installed on major nesting beaches on North Island in recent years. It tracks turtles coming ashore around the clock, while 14 surveillance cameras record changes in the nests, providing first-hand data for research and conservation.

Protecting nesting turtles is only part of the conservation work. The rescue and conservation center also treats injured sea turtles found in the South China Sea. Many were hurt after swallowing marine debris or becoming entangled in discarded fishing nets. After treatment, regular feeding and care, they are now in stable condition.

An Xiaoyu, a staff member of the Hainan Sea Turtle Field Scientific Observation Station, said, "Besides our daily monitoring and research, we also take on a rescue role here. Sea turtles are an umbrella species, so protecting them and their habitats also helps protect many other marine species that share the same ecosystem."

Data show that since the North Island Sea Turtle Rescue and Conservation Center was established in 2021, the number of sea turtle nests recorded there has increased significantly. More than 1,540 nests have been recorded across the major islands and reefs of the Xisha Islands, and 1,561 injured sea turtles have been rescued and released.

Sansha has also carried out coastline improvement and coral reef restoration, helping create a better environment for returning wildlife.

In June this year, researchers monitoring Zhongsha Sand in the Xisha Islands confirmed for the first time that a stable breeding population of the greater crested tern, a nationally protected species, had formed in the area.

On Yongxing Island and Zhaoshu Island, where sea turtles had not been seen for years, turtle nests were also recorded in 2025.

Li Yupei, director of Sansha Marine Protected Area Administration, said, "Some residents saw the turtles themselves, and everyone was very excited. As we improve the environment, people are also becoming more aware of marine conservation."