Before heading out into the field, the “Sea Turtle School” will be held, where hotel guide staff will explain sea turtle ecology. This fun lecture covers how to distinguish between the three species of sea turtles inhabiting the waters around Iriomote Island, their diet, and nesting data from Tsukigahama Beach last year. Learning about sea turtles in advance will spark your interest in their ecology.
Tsukigahama Beach, directly in front of the hotel, is a valuable natural environment where sea turtles actually come to lay their eggs. Guide staff regularly monitor the hotel surroundings, and during the active sea turtle nesting and hatching season from May to September, they investigate nesting trace every morning. On the tour, you’ll explore the beach with guide staff who are intimately familiar with the area, searching for nesting traces. If a nesting trace is found, the species will be identified from the footprints, and the diameter of the nesting site and sand temperature will be measured to understand the nesting conditions.
First, you’ll observe sea turtles gracefully swimming and feeding from a boat. By comparing what you observe with the characteristics learned in the prior lecture, such as how they use their flippers to swim and what they eat, you can gain a deeper understanding of sea turtle ecology. Afterwards, you’ll observe the underwater world while snorkeling. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to swim alongside a sea turtle while snorkeling.
Best Rate Guaranteed
