A Beacon Of Hope For Turtles

In Thailand, an extraordinary effort is underway to save the endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle from extinction. Teams are deploying the high-tech DJI Mavic 3T drone, equipped with thermal cameras, to spot turtle nesting sites from the sky. This tech-forward initiative is the work of Thailand’s Department of Marine & Coastal Resources.

Leatherback turtles nest along the coast, often undetected by scientists. Unseen, they lay their eggs and return to the sea, leaving their eggs vulnerable. To address this, experts, like Dr. Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, director of the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, are reportedly turning to drones.

He explains, “the need to identify and protect the remaining nesting sites” and emphasizes that drones are a more efficient method than traditional on-foot searches.

These thermal drones have significantly advanced conservation efforts. As depicted in a video by DJI, the…