Taiwan's Xiaoliuqiu beach cleanups to help baby sea turtles reach ocean
台灣小琉球淨灘活動協助小海龜重返海洋
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two beach cleanup events were recently held on Xiaoliuqiu Island, removing a combined 358 kg of marine debris to improve conditions for sea turtle hatchlings making their way to the ocean.
Organized by the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Headquarters, the cleanups took place on Sunday and Tuesday at Duzaiping Intertidal Zone and Beauty Cave Beach, two of the island’s most important nesting sites. The events were held in advance of the peak hatching season and drew residents and visiting tourists, according to CNA. According to the organizer, 123 kg of debris were collected from Duzaiping and 235 kg from Beauty Cave. In addition to plastic bottles, numerous household items, which were likely swept ashore by a recent typhoon, were recovered. The initiative aims to remove obstacles that could impede sea turtle hatchlings as they emerge from their nests and instinctively crawl toward the sea. Hatchlings rely on environmental cues, including the Earth’s magnetic field, which they imprint on at birth to navigate back to the same beach for nesting, according to the Coast Guard. This year, 19 nests have already been recorded on Xiaoliuqiu. In response to recent sightings of nesting females, the cleanups were launched as a focused effort to safeguard these vulnerable areas. The headquarters said the initiative is part of a broader campaign to promote responsible tourism and marine conservation. The effort was carried out in collaboration with civic organizations, the Ocean Conservation Administration, the Pingtung County Government, and the Liuqiu Township Office to deepen public awareness of environmental stewardship and sustainability. |
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| Charlotte Lee Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2025-07-16 |
