Prince Harry visits Lovers Beach to release baby turtles

Prince Harry released baby turtles into the sea in Nevis Credit: Tim Rooke/Rex / Shutterstock

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/23/prince-harry-visits-lovers-beach-release-baby-turtles-misses/

• Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter, Nevis

23 November 2016 • 11:57pm
The US holiday of Thanksgiving this Thursday is the most important time of the year for Americans to spend time with their families and loved ones. 

Prince Harry’s girlfriend Meghan Markle is no different, as she showed by posting on Instagram on Wednesday a picture of herself celebrating the occasion in a past year, next to an enormous roast turkey.

She will, of course, have to celebrate the public holiday without her boyfriend, who is representing the Queen on a two-week tour of the Caribbean.

The couple will, however, have plenty of new experiences to tell each other about when they catch up over the phone.

While American Miss Markle, 35, will be able to tell the Prince all about her traditional family get-together, the Prince can reciprocate with stories about releasing baby turtles into the sea on the aptly-named Lovers Beach on the island of Nevis.

The Prince who, like Miss Markle, is a passionate conservationist, enjoyed one of the highlights of his trip to the West Indies when he met volunteers from a turtle conservation group on one of the world’s most secluded beaches.

Although he arrived at the wrong time of day to see turtles hatching and burrowing their way to the surface of the sand, members of the Nevis Turtle Group had kept five baby green turtles, found earlier in the day trapped in thick vegetation, for him to release on the beach.

Prince Harry released the turtles on Lovers Beach Credit: Tim Rooke /Rex / Shutterstock

After carefully handling and examining the first turtle, he gently placed him at the waters edge. 
He was excited when he was given some more and exclaimed: “A whole team!”

As they used their flippers to flap their way down the short, steep beach to the surf, he gestured with his hands, willing them on by saying “Go, go, go!” and “That way!” 

He said: “Look at the energy they have as well. He's waiting for the water to come to him – that's really clever.”

He held his sunglasses in his mouth as he handled the small animals.

Prince Harry was shown a turtle nesting site  Credit: Chris Radburn/PA

The Prince was then taken down to the end of the beach, to dig for any turtles still in their nests. 

Handed a pair of white plastic gloves, he enthusiastically began digging a deep hole with his hands, pulling out empty shells, and was shown an example of an egg that hadn't developed. 

He was told about the conservation project, which aims to protect turtles and increase their population.
For every 1,000 turtles in Nevis, only one of those will return to lay eggs.

While it is illegal to hunt turtle eggs for consumption in Nevis, many people still do.

Prince Harry met the founder and president of the Nevis Turtle Group, Lemuel Pemberton Credit: Chris Jackson /Getty

The Prince said he had never seen baby turtles before, only adults. He looked impressed when he was told the babies would eventually weigh up to 900lbs.

Afterwards he took off his gloves and, when told to keep them, joked: “It's not like they're a souvenir!”
When it was pointed out he could use them for digging in sand again, he said: “Yes, that's what I do in my spare time!”

Prince Harry was told he could keep the gloves used to handle the baby turtles Credit: Rex Features

He encouraged everyone to continue their hard work. 

Volunteer Thema Ward, 35, said: “Harry was excellent. He got right down there digging with us and we weren't expecting that.”

“He is so down to earth – like his mum was. She just blended right like a real person when she was here and Harry did the same.”