Visit to a Turtle Hatchery
Kosgoda Beach, a 20-minute drive north of the hotel, is one of Sri many as five out of the world’s seven species of marine turtles visit and lay their eggs on Sri Lankan shores, yet all of these species are considered to be either threatened or endangered. Female turtles come ashore and lay their eggs on the very same beach they were born. Once their eggs are buried, they return to the sea leaving their eggs unattended, to mature and hatch. This is a small but tidy hatchery. You’ll be guided around to see baby, juvenile and adult turtles – these will be a mix of green (most commonly seen), olive ridley and leatherback species. There is also a small museum and your donation (if you choose to donate) will go towards protecting local turtles.
Although there are several turtle hatcheries in the area (which all seem pretty similar), we have selected this particular one for a few reasons, most notably – they are committed to protecting the turtle’s habitat by organising weekly beach cleans every Thursday (along a 5km stretch) and encouraging school children to get involved and learn about marine turtles. They also have overseas volunteers working here. It might be possible to see the release of baby turtles into the sea if your visit coincides with the hatchery’s release schedule. This is usually done at night, so you can ask the guide at the hatchery if you can return to see the release of hatchlings (additional cost may apply).
