In the turtle conservation program, there are several technical considerations where rangers are required to count and identify turtle eggs (and shells) in nests that have already hatched. One reason for this is to determine the exact ratio of successful hatching to failed hatching. Rangers will submit the data they collect in the field to researchers, who will process it and analyze it in depth before it is eventually published to the public in simple numbers and projections about the trends in turtle conditions. The aim is for this data to serve as a clear foundation for stakeholders (activists, government, etc.) to determine strategic and technical steps for full conservation efforts.
One of the key data points that rangers must collect is the number of UD and UH:
- UD (Undeveloped): These are turtle eggs that did not develop or grow (no embryo).
- UH (Unhatched): These are turtle eggs that contained an embryo, but the eggs did not hatch because the embryo or hatchling died inside the egg.
These codes are used in technical activities of the Indonesian Turtle Foundation to simplify record-keeping. However, the more fundamental point is that by knowing the ratio of UD and UH, we can understand the factors that may influence the hatching success of a nest. Researchers or turtle conservation managers can determine the quality of the incubation media (hatchery, natural location, type of sand, canopy cover, etc.) and any specific behaviors they can adopt to increase the hatching success rate of eggs in a nest to the maximum level.
To make the explanation easier, we have provided a short video above taken from a direct conservation practice on Belambangan Island. The hope is that the video will help the audience understand clearly how to identify UH and UD.
