Endangered turtle returns to Maldives beach to lay its eggs – only to discover a runway has been built on historical nesting site
- Green sea turtle returned to Noonu Atoll beach to lay eggs but found only tarmac
- Species return to spot they were born to nest, sometimes travelling for years
- Maafaru Airport was completed in August and there are plans for more buildings
An endangered turtle laid its eggs on a runway after a new airport was built over a beach in the Maldives.
The green sea turtle, whose population is falling because of poachers hunting them for meat and egg harvesting, had returned to the site of the beach in Noonu Atoll.
Female turtles return to the exact area where they were born to lay their own eggs, but instead of finding a suitable spot this turtle found only tarmac.
A source from Maafaru Island Council told local news website The Edition: ‘Despite the construction of the runway, the frequency with which turtles visit the island for nesting purposes has not decreased.’
This endangered green sea turtle laid its eggs on the runway of the newly-built Maafaru Airport in the Maldives
Developers completed Maafaru Airport in August, and there are further plans for buildings in the area including a hotel and a resort.
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, based in the UAE, funded the 7,200ft-long runway which will be able to accommodate six jets.
Local sources said the sea turtle, who may have spent years travelling back to the beach to lay her eggs, was released into the sea.
She was reportedly in good health.
Developers built the runway over a popular nesting spot for turtles. The species return to the exact spot they were born, sometimes travelling for years, to lay their eggs