Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery Tourism

Wildlife Sanctuary4.5(665 reviews)

About Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery is a prime turtle observation site located in Kosgoda, Bentota on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. This sanctuary serves as a conservation project to protect endangered sea turtles. Established in 1988 by the Wildlife Protection Society of Sri Lanka, the hatchery aids in the survival of sea turtles by securing eggs and facilitating safe hatching practices. The hatchery is situated on a picturesque beach, where visitors can observe the nesting process. Volunteers collect eggs laid on the beach and relocate them to the hatchery to prevent poaching and predation. Once hatched, the baby turtles are nurtured for a short period before being released into the sea. Visitors are educated about the different species of sea turtles, the risks they face, and conservation efforts. The hatchery also provides 'turtle watch' experiences at night during the nesting season and the formidable chance to see female turtles laying eggs. The organization operates largely on donations and volunteer work, allowing it to be a beacon of conservation and environmental education for locals and tourists alike.

Top 5 Reviews on Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery

C860LKevah
5.0
Wrote on 12 Jun 2024
Highly recommended.
I highly recommend this centre for anyone who wants to learn about turtles and cares about conservation. First of all, there are many turtle conservation sites along this road and there is one with a similar name not far from this one. I think it would be easy to confuse the two. My husband and I visited this centre during the day and were given a very informative tour in English by one of the staff. She explained their processes, how often the tanks are cleaned and gave us a lot of information about the turtles. I liked that we were only allowed to pat one specific turtle. We went back the next day in the evening to release some newly hatched turtles. That was a fantastic experience. I had called several other centres and had been told to just come at any time to release, even though there is a high chance that eagles and other large birds would prey on them if released during daylight. But at this place they actually waited until it was dusk and the eagles had stopped circling. We really appreciated the value the staff placed on the lives of each of these baby turtles. You can also volunteer at this centre for up to 3 months. We met one of the volunteers who was also really informative.