Chinese researchers have identified a green sea turtle nesting site at Yongshu Reef, part of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, according to an ecological and environmental research station under the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The discovery was made during routine ecological monitoring work, when scientific staff found an approximately 30 cm-deep, irregular, circular depression in the sandy area of Yongshu Reef, surrounded by disturbed sand particles. These features exhibit remarkable consistency with the typical nesting behavior of green sea turtles, suggesting that the sand pit marks were left after turtle oviposition, according to the research team.

The team soon launched a joint investigation with the reef-based environmental protection department. Through deploying monitoring equipment and conducting night patrols, researchers successfully obtained video documentation of sea turtle activities on the beach, including both landings and returns to the ocean. Typical sea turtle eggs were also collected at the site, which were verified by experts as green sea turtle eggs.

Green sea turtles are classified as a first-class protected species in China. This newly discovered nesting site represents a significant breakthrough for enhancing the protection of this endangered marine species.

Notably, this nesting site extends approximately 800 km further south compared to previously identified sites on Beidao Island, part of the Xisha Islands. This geographical expansion provides compelling evidence that the superior marine ecological conditions in the waters around the Nansha Islands offer a suitable habitat for this endangered species.

The research team plans to collaborate with the reef-based environmental protection department to implement protective monitoring of the area and initiate surveillance of environmental factors to support future incubation research. This discovery will significantly advance China's marine ecosystem protection in the South China Sea islands, while contributing new critical data to global sea turtle conservation networks, the researchers said. (Xinhua)