Marine Ecosystems Thrive During Lockdown as Rare Species Flock to the Shores of S Hotels & Resorts’ properties in Thailand and the Maldives

Resort records first sighting of nesting Olive Ridley sea turtles, while blacktip sharks thrive in Thailand’s Maya Bay, as SHR’s Marine Discovery Centres continue to conserve their rich and diverse ecosystems

For Immediate Release: 11 June 2020

BANGKOK, THAILAND: Turn the clock back to the start of 2020 and the beaches of the Maldives’ idyllic atolls buzzed with peak-season holidaymakers. Honeymooners lounged idly under cabanas, families set sail for immersive snorkelling trips and kids splashed in the turquoise waters.
 
Since COVID-19 reared its ugly head however, most of the world has retreated into hibernation and those same shorelines have fallen silent, devoid of visitors — or at least, that is, human ones. In late March, team members from the recently-opened SAii Lagoon Maldives spotted some unfamiliar footprints along the resort’s main beach. After a quick search, a pregnant Olive Ridley sea turtle was found nesting in on the shore — the first recorded sighting of this species nesting in the Maldives.
 
“We were very surprised to find this species on our beach. It just goes to show how quickly the marine environment adapts and thrives under the right circumstances,” commented Aladin Pakbara, the project leader for resort’s sustainable development.
 
The sustainability team at SAii Lagoon Maldives will now work with the local environment authorities to see how they can support nesting Olive Ridley sea turtles in future. Team members are being trained by the marine experts at the in-house Marine Discovery Centre to identify these turtles and other new and rare species, and what to do in case of another sighting.
 
The decline of tourist arrivals has also led to an increase in sightings of other native marine species in and around S Hotels & Resorts’ CROSSROADS Maldives community, which includes SAii Lagoon Maldives, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and The Marina @ CROSSROADS, a ‘one-stop, non-stop’ lifestyle destination with diversified leisure offerings. These include hawksbill sea turtles, eagle rays and stingrays. Indeed, stories about the recovery of wildlife during the recent lockdown have emerged around the world.