Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Welcomes Hawksbill Nesting in Desroches Island as New Turtle Season Returns

Written By: Gishan Das

Gishan Das

Gishan Das is a dedicated graduate with academic backgrounds in History and Political Science and practical experience in journalism and digital content creation. He completed his History Honours from Serampore College under the University of Calcutta and Political Science Honours from Indira Gandhi National Open University in 2025. His academic credentials are supported by professional certifications including a B2 level Certification in French language, NISM Financial Education certification in collaboration with the Aditya Birla Group alongside Gishan has strong expertise in journalism, news research and SEO-based content writing. He has demonstrated skills in news analysis, fact-checking, headline creation, digital storytelling and search-optimized reporting, which are also reflected in the journalism and media skills

See Full Bio

August 7, 2026 9:51 PM |

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, which is situated on Desroches Island, is now ready to see the arrival of one of the Indian Ocean’s most fascinating natural spectacles with the start of the hawksbill sea turtle nesting season. From October to March, the beaches of this 14-kilometre-long island will be a habitat for critically endangered hawksbill turtles and provide tourists with a rare chance to witness one of nature’s oldest marine traditions.

Desroches Island, which is situated in the Seychelles archipelago, offers visitors an ideal place to watch marine wildlife and learn about conservation programs protecting endangered species. Nesting period is just one of many programs which resort runs throughout the year. During this program, guests have an opportunity to experience various life stages of sea turtles under guidance of marine experts. This example illustrates the increasing popularity of eco-friendly travels, when people not only enjoy nature but also participate in its conservation.

Seychelles Protects One of the World’s Important Hawksbill Turtle Populations

The Seychelles is recognised as one of the remaining strongholds for critically endangered hawksbill turtles, making each nesting season an important period for conservation and scientific monitoring. During the nesting months, female hawksbill turtles return to the island’s beaches to lay their eggs, continuing a natural cycle that has existed for millions of years. Desroches Island plays an important role in protecting this species by providing suitable nesting areas away from many pressures faced by marine wildlife elsewhere.

The island’s conservation programme allows researchers and guests to better understand turtle behaviour, nesting patterns and population health. Green sea turtles also visit the waters surrounding Desroches Island throughout the year. Their peak mating season occurs between June and September, creating additional opportunities for visitors to observe marine life. Together, these seasonal events allow travellers to experience different stages of turtle biology while gaining greater awareness of ocean conservation.

Marine Conservation Experiences Connect Guests With Seychelles Wildlife

Throughout the year, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles invites guests to participate in educational conservation activities led by the resort’s marine team. These experiences are designed to provide deeper insight into the island’s marine ecosystem while highlighting the importance of protecting vulnerable species. One of the seasonal programmes, Turtle Tango Time, takes place from June to September during the peak mating period of green sea turtles.

Guests join marine biologists and conservation specialists to learn about turtle behaviour, breeding patterns and the challenges facing marine species. The experience provides travellers with a closer understanding of how conservation science contributes to protecting ocean wildlife. Rather than simply observing animals, guests become part of an educational journey focused on understanding and preserving the natural environment.

Turtle Patrol Offers Guests Rare View of Hawksbill Nesting Activity

From October through March, visitors can participate in Turtle Patrol, a guided conservation experience during hawksbill nesting season. Accompanied by the resort’s marine team, guests can assist with beach monitoring activities and learn how conservation specialists track nesting turtles. In some cases, visitors may have the opportunity to witness a female hawksbill turtle during the nesting process.

When a turtle enters a natural trance-like state while laying eggs, conservation teams can safely conduct scientific monitoring activities with minimal disturbance. The monitoring process may include attaching identification tags, recording measurements, counting eggs and documenting nest locations using GPS technology. The collected information contributes to long-term research programmes focused on understanding turtle populations and improving conservation strategies. These encounters provide travellers with a unique opportunity to see wildlife conservation in action while respecting the natural behaviour of endangered animals.

Guests Discover Turtle Life Cycles Through Beach Tracking Experiences

Beyond direct nesting observations, visitors can explore turtle activity through the resort’s Turtle Tracks and Traces experience. Available from April to September outside the main hawksbill nesting season, the programme allows guests to follow signs left behind by green turtles that visit the beaches. Guided by the marine conservation team, participants learn how to identify tracks, understand nesting patterns and interpret evidence left behind by turtles.

The experience highlights how much information can be discovered through careful observation of natural environments. By studying tracks and nesting signs, guests gain a greater appreciation for marine ecosystems and the importance of protecting coastal habitats. The activity offers a quieter but equally meaningful way to experience wildlife while learning about the hidden movements of sea turtles.

Scientific Monitoring Helps Protect Future Turtle Generations

The conservation work at Desroches Island continues beyond observing nesting turtles. Every turtle nest identified by the marine team is carefully recorded and monitored throughout the incubation period. In certain situations where nests face risks from seawater exposure or environmental conditions, conservation specialists may relocate eggs to safer areas through controlled nest translocation procedures. Approximately 70 days later, after hatchlings naturally emerge, the team conducts nest assessments to measure success rates.

Researchers record important information, including the number of hatchlings produced compared with the original number of eggs. These findings contribute valuable data to ongoing conservation research and support future management decisions for Seychelles sea turtle populations. The process demonstrates how tourism experiences can contribute directly to scientific knowledge and environmental protection.

Desroches Island Supports Hatchling Protection and Marine Conservation

Guests visiting during hatching periods may have the opportunity to witness young turtles beginning their first journey towards the ocean. When hatchlings are discovered in other areas of the island, visitors are encouraged to inform the resort team so conservation specialists can assess whether assistance is needed.

The marine team also remains prepared to support adult turtles that may experience difficulties returning to the sea after nesting. Changing tides and coral formations can sometimes create challenges for turtles, requiring careful intervention from trained conservation personnel. These efforts demonstrate the importance of continuous monitoring and protection throughout the entire nesting cycle.

Luxury Tourism and Conservation Combine Through Four Seasons for Good

The turtle conservation programme at Desroches Island forms part of Four Seasons for Good, the company’s global sustainability initiative focused on protecting and regenerating destinations where its properties operate. On Desroches Island, the programme supports marine research, biodiversity monitoring, habitat protection and environmental education.

The resort works alongside the Island Conservation Society (ICS) to collect important conservation data and support long-term protection of Seychelles’ marine ecosystems. The partnership reflects a growing movement within luxury tourism, where travellers increasingly seek experiences that provide both comfort and positive environmental impact. By participating in conservation activities, guests become active contributors to protecting the destination they visit.

Seychelles Strengthens Position as a Global Sustainable Travel Destination

The onset of turtle nesting season once again draws attention to Seychelles’ burgeoning reputation as a place where luxury travel coexists with conservation efforts. The wildlife encounters that await visitors to Desroches Island range from witnessing the hawksbill turtles making their way onto the beach to tracing tracks through pristine beaches to watching baby turtles start their marine adventure.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles sets an example of the role of hospitality in the protection of biodiversity by conducting marine research and encouraging the engagement of tourists in sustainable travel. Wildlife conservation experiences of this sort that await visitors at Desroches Island show the future of responsible luxury tourism.

Image Source: Four Seasons