Adm. Narong Thesvikaal, commander of the
Royal Thai Fleet, presides over the release of a female green turtle it
has nursed for 12 years.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy released 800 turtles and 80,000
fish into Sattahip Bay to honor HM Queen Sirikit as she celebrates the
start of her 80th year.
Adm. Narong Thesvikaal, commander of the Royal Thai
Fleet, presided over the release of the mostly juvenile green turtles at
the Sea Turtle Conservation Center Aug. 11, a day before the queen’s
79th birthday. More than 2,500 navy personnel, area residents, public
officials and celebrities turned out to help set free the reptiles.
While most of the turtles were still babies, the
center did set free a female green turtle it has nursed for 12 years.
Green turtles reach mating age at 16 years.
The group also set free thousands of tropical fish.
The Sea Turtle Conservation Center regularly releases
hundreds of turtles into the wild to mark the birthdays of the royal
couple. The remainder of the year it rescues turtle eggs from nearby
islands and raises them in captivity until they have a fighting chance
to survive and revive the endangered species.
