What to see in Phuket. Turtles

Turtle farm at Phuket Aquarium.

For those who are planning to visit the Phuket Aquarium and are not strictly limited in time, I recommend visiting the Turtle Farm, located in close proximity to the Phuket Aquarium. In general, at first I was scared by the name - turtle farm, I thought that the poor things were being raised for the purpose of subsequent production of accessories. Fortunately, quite the opposite. In Phuket there is the Phuket Marine Biological Center, which is engaged in rescuing turtles in difficult life situations. The center provides assistance to animals who have become entangled in fishing nets, who have swallowed a hook, who have eaten plastic bags (mistaking them for food), as well as turtles whose limbs have been torn off by boat propellers.

How to find this center and see how turtles live, what they do with them there? You get to the Phuket Aquarium, park and walk a little further along the shore. First, the path will lie through a path with various plants and signs with their names. Next you will be introduced to photographs of some representatives of the animal world: turtles, crabs.

Then, when you begin to doubt whether you are going there, you come across a map that shows the most important landmark - Phuket Aquarium. Under the number 1 is a nature path, 2 is an incubator, 3 is a pier, 4 is a pool with turtles.

A few minutes later we found ourselves at this pool and looked in to see who lived there.

Turtles of different sizes swim in large pools. The shell of some reaches 1.5 meters in diameter.

At first I was very happy, because I love animals very much, and here there are real turtles, so interesting!

But, having looked closer, I almost fell into depression - most of them were missing one or more paws, some had a broken shell.

Sadness and sadness overwhelmed me! What will happen to the poor people? My soul became so heavy that only then did I notice a sign telling about the activities of this biological center for saving turtles.

The translation is as follows. “Rescued sea turtles. Every year, the Phuket Biological Center rescues stranded sea turtles. These sea turtles are victims of human activity that have become entangled in nets, injured by boat propellers, or eaten by trash. Many of them have lost their limbs, some have damage to their shells, and others cannot dive normally. The Phuket Biological Center takes care of these sea turtles and releases those who recover. But not all of them can be returned back to their natural habitat; some die from severe injuries and infections. Some will have to live in artificial pools for the rest of their lives.”

It is very sad that many of the turtles will never be able to return to the ocean.

Turtles do not like being around humans at all. You come closer to them, and the animal swims away from you to the opposite end of the pool. I decided not to bother them and with a heavy heart I moved on.

On the other side of the pools you can see other pools, they also have turtles.

I don’t know why the turtles were placed in different pools. Perhaps they are carrying out quarantine measures or someone who is violent has been put away. But these are my guesses, I ask you not to take them seriously.

The ocean is a couple of meters from the pools. It must be very difficult to constantly hear the ocean and never get back to your native environment. Although, of course, you can’t swim far on two legs.

Perhaps they somehow undergo the reproduction process here. Again, I'm just making guesses. I think that almost all the animals have preserved their reproductive function, and there is an incubator on the territory.

The sign on the building reads: Endangered Species Block.

Personally, this place made an impression on me, after visiting I was left with mixed feelings: pity for those turtles who will never return back to their native element, joy that someone on earth cares about them and some are still saved and released will. My fears of seeing turtle souvenirs or offers to taste their meat in this place did not come true. Overall, of course, I was more upset, but I think it was due to my weak psyche. Tourists ran nearby, running around the pools laughing, trying to take pictures with the turtles, as the latter tried to swim away quickly. I didn’t notice any pity or thoughtfulness on the faces of these people. Well, a turtle without paws is cool. Probably, in order to understand someone’s suffering, you need to have your own experience of it.

We were walking in the opposite direction, thoughtful and serious, when suddenly a rabbit ran past us. I widened my eyes in surprise.

Of course, nothing special - an ordinary rabbit, but we wondered where it came from, who raises them here and for what purpose. There was nothing left to do but run after the rabbit. He, seeing our interest, galloped faster, but since there was a fairly large rise ahead, he slowed down. It was then that I caught up with him with my camera.

The rabbit did not know where to run, so he began to nervously chew the grass.

We wanted not just to look at him, but to stroke him. Our new acquaintance could no longer tolerate such familiarity and sprinted so fast that in a couple of seconds he was already out of sight.

Our long-eared friend lives in a beautiful place, landscaped with flowers, a lawn and steps drowning in the grass.

After meeting the rabbit, all the sadness and grief inspired by what we had seen earlier dissipated, our spirits lifted greatly and we moved on.

We found some unknown fruit on the tree. They didn’t tear it or try it. We have a rule for everything here: if you don’t know, don’t pick, just like mushrooms in the forest.

The hammock and tree roots inspired this photo. A pier is visible in the distance.

To summarize, I want to say that if you are going to Phuket Aquarium, this place is worth visiting. If you don’t want to look at crippled turtles, take a walk along the pier and relax in a hammock. Along the way you will come across benches where you can sit in the shade of trees. If you are used to looking only at something super-duper, you will be disappointed both from a walk to the pools with turtles, and from a visit to the Phuket Aquarium, which I will tell you about in one of my next posts.

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Witness the birth of little turtles and follow their first difficult journey to the sea.

The area of ​​the national park is 90 square meters. On its territory there are four wild beaches with pristine white sand. The reserve is very popular among tourists. They are attracted by the cleanliness of pristine coastal areas, which are nesting sites for giant sea turtles.

Here you will have a unique opportunity to see how little turtles are born and follow their first difficult path to the sea. This phenomenon can be observed between November and March. It is at this time that turtles swim to Mai Khao beach to continue their lineage.

If you are lucky enough to witness the birth of baby turtles, you should be especially careful. It is prohibited to disturb or touch animals and eggs. Any violation of the rules of conduct on the island will entail a considerable fine.

You can expect to see monkeys anywhere in Thailand: in the jungle, in a park, in the mountains. But to meet them right in the city, in Phuket town, is quite unusual. However, in the mangrove forest on the outskirts of Phuket town, in the Ratsada area, whole hordes of monkeys live. Along the road near the forest there are signs warning that at any moment [...]

Snake shows are the hallmark of Thailand in general and Phuket in particular. There are many snake farms in Phuket, one of the most popular is the one located near the Chalong ring. The 45-minute show at this farm features several snakes, ranging from the non-venomous python to the largest venomous snake in the world, the king cobra. […]

The Phuket Oceanarium is organized on the basis of the Biological Center for Marine Research. The main task of the Center is the study and protection of sea turtles. Despite this, the main inhabitants of the Oceanarium are not turtles, but fish: huge barbs, groupers, catfish. There are a variety of fish here: knife fish, surgeon fish, cardinal fish, cow fish and lion fish. Well, the highlight of the Aquarium is the Leopard Ray and the family […]

Phuket Zoo was opened in 1997. Monkeys, tigers, tropical birds, camels, crocodiles, ostriches and other animals live here on an area of ​​5 hectares. For a fee, you can take a photo with an elephant or chimpanzee. The highlight of the zoo is the show with monkeys, elephants and crocodiles, which take place several times a day (we recommend arriving no later than 14:20 to see […]

Turtle Farm (Phuket)

Species: sea turtles of different species

Turtle Farm at the Center for Marine Biology

Address: Cape Panwa, o. Phuket.

Dusit Zoo (Bangkok)

Species (13): trionyx, hieremys annandalii, red-eared, spur-necked, trionyx cartilageneus, geochelone platynota, star, black swamp, amboin, band-necked, heosemys grandis, cayanaceae, indotestudo elongata.

Address: 71 Rama 5 Rd. | Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Website: www.dusitzoo.org

Wat Prayun (Turtle Temple) (Bangkok)

It was built in 1828. The temple was presented to King Rama III and he named it Wat Prayurawongsawat.
Species: Malayan, Trionics, Amboinsky, Red-eared, hieremys annandalii, indotestudo elongata

Chiang Mai Zoo (Chiang Mai)

Species: red-eared, chitra indica, amboin, manouria emys, black swamp, hieremys annandalii, geochelone platynota, spurred.

Address: 100 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Website: http://www.chiangmaizoo.com/

Turtle farms in Thailand

Address: Thailand, Koh Samet island, northern side of the island
Address: Thailand, Sampae San group of islands, Princess Siriton Island (turtle island), Thai Navy base. There is also a turtle museum there.
Address: Thailand, western coast of the isthmus of the Malacca Peninsula in the Andaman Sea (Phang Nga), about 100 km from Phuket, the city of Khao Lak (Khao Lak)

Koh Loi Island in Thailand

It is located just 30 km from Pattaya and 1 km from the shore of the Gulf of Thailand. However, it is not yet frequented by tourists. Koh Loi Island is a cultural destination for Thais and local Chinese. Thai and Chinese temples were built there, there is a beautiful park, and also a swimming pool where SEA TURTLES swim.

Koh Loi Island (not to be confused with Koh Larn) is located a few hundred meters from the mainland, with which it is connected by a road bridge. Ko Loi does not boast beaches like the famous Phi Phi Islands in the Thai province of Krabi. But on the island of Koh Loi in Thailand there is a Thai temple, a Chinese temple, a zoo of big cats and a pool in which giant sea turtles swim. And a very small park with a view of the sea and huge ocean barges slipping into the Gulf of Thailand from the royal Chao Phraya River.

Sea Turtle conservation center

The Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Sattahip is an interesting attraction in the vicinity of Pattaya. The center not only does a lot of work to preserve turtles, but also provides comprehensive information about their life.

The center was created in 1954. And since that time, its main functions have not changed: this is a place where a lot of effort and time is spent on ensuring the safety of sea turtles, working to preserve them in the wild, as well as adapting to return to their natural habitat.

Address Naval Base, Sattahip, about 30 km from Pattaya, Thailand, Chon Buri (Chonburi)

Turtle Village in Thailand (Tortoise Village)

Turtle Village in Thailand is a small community where locals raise turtles and keep them as pets.
Various species of turtles live here, from small ones - with a shell size of up to 5 centimeters and weighing several hundred grams, to large ones - with a shell size of up to 30 centimeters and weighing up to seven kilograms.

Location Address: Ban Kok, Tambon Suan Mon, Amphoe Manjakiri, Mancha Khiri, Khon Kaen, Thailand

In Thailand, there is a strong bond between people and elephants. The elephant is a symbol of the monarchy, religion and the nation as a whole. In addition, elephants play an important role and they have several specializations: some are in the service of the royal court, others are the most powerful workforce, especially in rural areas, and being one of the sacred animals, the elephant necessarily takes part in the most important ceremonies . We will go to those elephants where you can ride surrounded by their native nature.

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On the way to the elephants we stopped at a turtle farm. There are several turtle farms in Thailand that are dedicated to charity rather than raising turtles for soup or making turtle jewelry. The farm's task is to protect the collected turtle eggs and care for the little turtles until they are released into the sea.

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The farm also cares for sick or trapped turtles that have damaged their fins.

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Tiny turtles, like a flock of birds, pressing their flippers to their shells, quickly scurry from one part of the pool to another.

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These guys are already bigger.

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These will soon be released into the open sea, to meet the wind and adventure.

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The olive turtle says with all its appearance: “I’m counting the days, minutes until departure.”

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In addition to turtles, the farm also breeds fish and grows corals.

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A random exhibit, they say, a dangerous guy, although he pretends to be a calm and intelligent citizen.

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The turtles are provided with all the conditions for healthy growth and a comfortable stay.

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Cats are a separate issue; there are many of them in Thailand and they are loved.

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The Siamese fawn has seen a lot and experienced some terrible history. The farm workers came out and pulled him to his feet. Now he is recovering, good-natured and not at all afraid of people, he happily chewed the plants that we handed to him.

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On the left in the photo there are chickens running around, and the cats are not looking up, they are sunbathing imposingly on the table.

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After learning about turtle farming and admiring the pineapple plantations, we came to the elephants.

Elephants, contrary to popular belief, are very graceful and neat, despite their enormous size.

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Our mahout (the one in the orange T-shirt) was a young, energetic guy who periodically forced the elephant to perform tricks. It was always unexpected and quite impressive, especially when you sit on your back and the elephant stands on its hind legs.

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This is how we felt after walking on elephants and feeding them.

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They tarnished their reputation on a bamboo raft. Rafting is the oldest method of transportation for local residents, which they used long before the advent of roads. River rafting is relaxing and does not require any physical effort. All that remains is to observe the beauty of the local nature.

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After the rainy season, this stream turns into a waterfall and it becomes possible to swim in this reservoir.