Hiwasa Sea Turtles
Also written: 日和佐のウミガメ · 日和佐的海龟
Ohama Beach in Minami Town is known as a nesting site for sea turtles, and local conservation efforts and everyday scenes of coexistence with nature attract interest.
An Illustrated Japan / Tokushima / Life & Daily
About this place
The Hiwasa Sea Turtle nesting tradition on Ohama Beach in Minami Town, southern Tokushima Prefecture, identifies loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta that come ashore to nest from late May through mid August on a 500 meter white sand beach designated a National Natural Monument in 1967 for turtles and nesting site and also selected as one of Japan's 100 Best Beaches for pristine condition. Conservation began in 1950 when locals noticed declining nests due to egg poaching and coastal development, leading to establishment of Hiwasa Chelonian Museum Caretta as research, rescue, and education base open year-round with tanks for hatchlings. During nesting season from May 20 to August 20, nighttime entry to beach is strictly prohibited after 8 PM, patrols monitor nesting females with red lights that do not disturb, volunteer clean-ups keep sand free of obstacles and artificial lights that confuse hatchlings, and GPS mapping records each crawl. Loggerheads are globally endangered categorized vulnerable; a female lays 80 to 150 eggs in one night in deep flask-shaped cavity but natural hatching rates are low due to predators, typhoon erosion, and rising sand temperatures affecting sex ratio. In Minami, eggs are cautiously relocated to fenced protected enclosures, artificially incubated about 60 days, and baby turtles are released in summer public events where children count down and learn coexistence and marine plastic problem. Daylight visitors can observe crawl tracks, protective fencing, and interpretive signs explaining turtle life cycles, 30 year migration between Japan and Mexico, and local stewardship volunteer recruitment. Ohama Beach conservation traces to 1950 when local junior high students rescued stranded hatchling, continuing now as integrated learning curriculum for Hiwasa Junior High School. Museum Caretta pioneered head-starting method in Japan raising artificially hatched turtles for one year before release with tagging for migration tracking between Japan and Pacific coast of Mexico over decades. Recent challenges include beach erosion from typhoons, sea level rise, nighttime artificial lighting confusing hatchlings orientation toward sea. Residents campaign to convert street LEDs to warm color reducing blue light, and prohibit beach flashlights. Volunteers log nesting GPS coordinates, monitor sand temperature affecting sex ratio because higher temperatures produce more females. Public releases in August draw crowds counting hatchlings tumble to waves. Ohama Beach conservation traces to 1950 when local junior high students rescued stranded hatchling, continuing now as integrated learning curriculum for Hiwasa Junior High School. Museum Caretta pioneered head-starting method in Japan raising artificially hatched turtles for one year before release with tagging for migration tracking between Japan and Pacific coast of Mexico over decades. Recent challenges include beach erosion from typhoons, sea level rise, nighttime artificial lighting confusing hatchlings orientation toward sea. Residents campaign to convert street LEDs to warm color reducing blue light, and prohibit beach flashlights. Volunteers log nesting GPS coordinates, monitor sand temperature affecting sex ratio because higher temperatures produce more females. Public releases in August draw crowds counting hatchlings tumble to waves.
