The exact time of hatching is unpredictable and we do not have a real-time alert service. We know that the incubation period will be 60-70 days for leatherbacks. Just before 60 days, a nest that is due to hatch will be prepared with additional protection (barricades on the surface). This is to prevent hatchlings from crawling in the wrong direction if they are lured inland by artificial lights. This "box" will be open during daytime and closed after sunset and reopened at sunrise. We check nests in that stage quite frequently, but predicting hatching date and hour is impossible. Most nests are on Eagle Beach. Look for a nest with a "box" which indicates that the nest has reached 60+ days. Best chances would be late afternoon to sunset. (5-7 PM). So walk this beach, check, enjoy the sunset, and maybe you are lucky.

Sea turtles nest and hatch on Aruba’s beaches from March through December each year. This is when females return to lay their eggs, often on the same beaches where they were born decades earlier. It's the most active time for our conservation work.

If you spot a nesting turtle or hatchlings, contact us immediately at turtugaruba@hotmail.com or call +2975929393. Keep your distance, avoid flash photography, and don't touch the turtle or eggs. Your quick report helps us protect that nest.

Every donation funds our nest monitoring, hatchling protection, and public education programs. Your support directly impacts the survival of sea turtles on Aruba. Even small contributions make a measurable difference.

Four species nest on Aruba's beaches: hawksbill, green, loggerhead, and leatherback turtles. All are endangered or threatened. Each species faces unique challenges, and our work protects them all.