Ranguana Caye is a Sea Turtle Hatching site

Hatchings can happen throughout the year, but are more likely to happen overnight in the summer months. Book your stay at Ranguana Caye for the chance to see Sea Turtle Hatchlings! Contact us to see if we have any (known) nests on island.

Sea Turtle Fun Facts:

• The incubation time for most species is 45 to 70 days.
• Sea turtles hatch throughout the year, but mostly in summer.
• Hatchlings use a carbuncle (temporary egg tooth) to help break open the shell.
• After hatching, the young turtles may take three to seven days to dig their way to the surface.
• Hatchlings usually wait until night to emerge from the nest. Emerging at night reduces exposure to daytime predators. They leave the nest and head to the water in groups. Studies have shown that some nests will produce hatchlings on more than one night.
• During the crawl to the sea, the hatchling may set an internal magnetic compass, which it uses for navigation away from the beach.
• A "swim frenzy" of continuous swimming takes place for about 24 to 48 hours after the hatchling enters the water.
• This frantic activity gets the young turtle into deeper water, where it is less vulnerable to predators.
• There have been reports of swimming hatchlings diving straight down when birds and even airplanes appear overhead. This diving behavior may be a behavioral adaptation for avoiding predation by birds.
• The obstacles are so numerous for baby turtles that only about one in 1,000 survives to adulthood.