Turtle Conservation at Deck Sotto: Protecting Bali’s Sea Turtles
The turtle conservation work at Deck Sotto represents one of the most accessible wildlife protection programmes in Bali. Eggs from threatened nesting sites are collected, incubated safely, and released into the ocean — often in front of visitors who have come specifically to witness the release. Each hatchling that enters the water is a genuine contribution to recovering a species under serious pressure.
The turtle conservation programme also educates visitors about the threats facing sea turtles: habitat loss, plastic ingestion, fishing bycatch, and the historic pressure from the egg trade. For families visiting Bali with children, attending a hatchling release is one of the most impactful experiences available. Learn more about sea turtles on Wikipedia and explore our guide to Sanur.
Photos by Deck Sotto
Turtle conservation in Bali is incredibly important work, and happily, people are coming together to help ensure the survival of turtles all over Bali, including in Sanur.
Life is precarious for baby turtles. Predators, human interference and harsh conditions mean that most hatchlings will die before they even reach the water. And of those who do make it, less than 1% will survive to maturity. Sharks and other natural predators are one threat to their survival, but the bigger risks are boat propellers and plastic debris which has made its way into their food chain.
Turtle conservation groups are popping up all over the Sanur coastline and doing their best to help the turtles along. And the best part about it is, these aren’t organised charities or conservation groups, instead, they are concerned locals who want to look after the marine life and do their bit for generations to come.
It’s heartening to see their efforts. A walk along the Sanur coast reveals turtle nests roped off from the public, and clearly signposted to deter people from entering the fragile nesting areas.
The nests are carefully observed and guarded by teams of locals, who make sure that once the eggs hatch, the hatchling turtles are well cared for.
Hatchlings are monitored, and in many cases moved to the safety of local warungs to be watched over in makeshift turtle nurseries. Fishermen get involved too, patiently preparing fish and seaweed for the baby turtles so that they can build up their strength before they are released into the ocean.
And injured turtles such as Green Sea turtles, Hawksbill, and Olive Ridley turtles are rescued from the ocean and given time to rehabilitate, have their injuries treated, and recuperate before they are released back into the ocean.
Releasing the turtles is both beautiful and a team effort, with turtle carers coming together from Tapha on Pantai Semawang, all the way along the beach to Panti Sindhu to send the turtles on their way, and hopefully to long and healthy lives.
Beyond the release events, turtle conservation at Deck Sotto contributes to the broader health of the marine ecosystem around Semawang Beach. Sea turtles play a critical role in maintaining healthy seagrass beds and coral reef systems — their grazing patterns and nesting activity have ecological effects that extend far beyond the turtles themselves. When turtle conservation works, the whole marine environment benefits. This is why the programme at Deck Sotto matters not just for the turtles but for the long-term health of the reef and coastline that Sanur’s community and its visitors depend on. Supporting turtle conservation at Deck Sotto is one of the most direct contributions any visitor to Sanur can make to the island’s marine health.
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