Effect of Planting Time on Egg Hatching Success of Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas L.)

One of the conservation efforts undertaken to protect the green turtle (C. mydas L.) is by relocation of the nest where the eggs are removed from natural to semi-natural hatchery. A right time for the removal and burial of eggs are needed to obtain maximum hatching rate. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of interval laying period on the hatching success of the green turtle eggs. Randomized block design is used which is based on three different turtles with treatment interval of burying, which is 2, 7, and 12 h. Measurements and observations were made during the environmental conditions of the incubation period. Observations hatchling emergence started on day 50 of incubation. Nest destruction was conducted on the 60th day incubation then eggs that failed to hatch were manually disected. The result showed that there is no significant influence of the time differences on the hatching success and emergence success. However, the best time was foound on 2h time treatment, folowed by 12h and 7h.