While on the island of Penang we took the bus from Georgetown to the National Park. The weather was fantastic when we arrived so we decided to take a jungle trek through the park to turtle beach. While walking to the start of the trek we saw a huge water monitor lizard in the sea, in the jungle we saw monkey, various lizards, squirrels and birds. It was tough in the heat but the reward of a deserted beach all to ourselves was worth it. We sat on the beach and watch a local man in a long boat fishing out at sea. After resting there we walked further along the beach to a small turtle sanctuary and were able to hold a baby one. The sanctuary is there to support turtle survival when they are born.
Giant turtles come onto the beach to lay and bury their eggs in the sand. Two to three weeks later, when the mothers have left, the eggs hatch and the babies come to the surface to make their way to the ocean. Being small they are an easy meal for the many sea eagles which soar through the skies of the national park. The team there keep the turtles until they are a few months old and much stronger then release them into the water so the eagles can't get to them. It was a such a interesting visit.
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