Marine Turtle Nesting Season in Zanzibar 2025

These cute creatures can be found in tropical or sub-tropical seas all over the planet. Nowadays there are seven species of marine turtles in the world and five of them can be found in the Indian Ocean around Zanzibar.

Here you can find endangered species of marine turtles such as the Green Turtle, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, and Leatherbacks.

The most widespread in Zanzibar is the Green Turtle. Sea turtles like to swim just offshore to mate. Then, the females come ashore to nest. The nesting season of the Green Turtle is from February to July and dependent upon the nesting sites. Usually, females lay several clutches of eggs at approximately two-week intervals at several beaches during the cooler hours of the night. For a successful nest, they need access to beaches with deep, fine, and moist sand. When the nest chamber is filled in and sand is thrown over the nest site, the turtle returns to the sea. After 55-75 days, babies are hatched. Following their instincts, they immediately crawl seaward across the sand to the surf where they reach open waters.

Several marine conservation ponds can be found off the Zanzibar coast near Nungwi.