A critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle is spotted at East Coast Park in Singapore, marking one of the first arrivals of the 2026 nesting season. According to reports, the turtle comes ashore around 5pm on June 22 under overcast skies. Staff from Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) observe the turtle attempting to nest in the sand, making at least four attempts. The turtle then appears to abandon the nesting effort without laying eggs and returns to the sea.
NParks staff, together with personnel from the National Biodiversity Centre, attach unique identification tags to the turtle’s flippers as part of monitoring and tracking. The reports describe the sighting as occurring by chance, with staff noticing the turtle during routine activities. The turtle’s behavior—approaching nesting and making multiple attempts before leaving—aligns with the accounts from the different outlets. The discovery is highlighted as an early sign of nesting activity for the year, though no eggs are reported laid during this incident.
