Nearly 100 nests of sea turtles, an animal under national first-class protection, have been found in the waters of Sansha City, south China’s Hainan Province, since the beginning of the year.
In 2007, the Chinese government officially established Sansha City on Xisha’s Yongxing Island, which has jurisdiction over the islands and reefs of Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha and their adjacent waters.
At present, the sea area of Xisha has entered the peak breeding season for green sea turtles. A patrol officer recently discovered one laying eggs on Beidao Island, part of the Xisha Islands.
“The number of AI cameras has increased from six to 14, covering all possible spawning sites,” said, staff member at Sansha marine reserve management bureau. In addition to AI, staff use infrared monitoring and intelligent surveillance to track sea turtle spawning in real time.
After years of protection and ecological restoration, a total of 1,734 nests with green sea turtle eggs were found in the Xisha Islands from 2017 to 2023, according to the management bureau.
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