Touch the breath of the ocean: The journey of sea turtle conservation of a Tay Ninh boy

In the quiet of the night, I whispered, 'Can you do it?', he replied, 'Yes, I can.' After a few steps, he knelt down, started crawling on the sand, then slowly lowered himself, crept gently, slowly inching closer to the mother turtle digging the nest. He waited patiently and carefully picked up each egg, carefully placing it in the basket.

After burying the sea turtle eggs, I inquired about him and learned his name was Quoc Thai - a young man from Tay Ninh . That night, amidst the ocean breeze, I met a young man whose heart beat in sync with the sea.

Nguyen Van Quoc Thai (28 years old) is a sea turtle conservation volunteer for IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), assisting at the Bay Canh Island Station (Con Dao National Park, Ho Chi Minh City). His volunteer trip lasted 12 days in mid-June 2025, and this was his first time participating in the program.

Like other young people, Quoc Thai is passionate about experiences and exploration , but among many exciting choices out there, he chose sea turtle conservation, going to what is considered the most challenging of all sea turtle conservation sites in Vietnam - Bay Canh Island. He shared: "I researched the program, felt it was very meaningful, so I decided to register. This is probably one of the most valuable experiences of my life."

Quoc Thai is helping to protect nests of sea turtles about to hatch.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Sleepless nights watching over turtles laying eggs.

Sea turtles are quite shy and particularly sensitive to light and moving objects. Monitoring turtle nests often limits the use of lights, only using red light when necessary, and all actions must be done carefully to avoid interfering with the mother turtle's nesting and egg-laying process. Therefore, working with someone as cautious and gentle as Thai provides a sense of trust and reassurance.

Thai is always cautious...

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Some nights, turtles come ashore to lay eggs in large numbers. Two people guarding a quarter of the nesting area can have five or six mother turtles digging nests at the same time in the spot we're responsible for. Each person has to both collect the eggs from one mother turtle and constantly check on the condition of the other mother turtles.

...and gentle during the rescue and relocation of sea turtle nests.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Quoc Thai was calm and skilled in rescuing and relocating the nest of eggs, so we coordinated very smoothly. After retrieving the turtle eggs, I was drenched in sweat despite the cool sea breeze. I was exhausted. But Thai – still smiling, still recounting the story as if the joy had erased all fatigue: "The nest I retrieved was very deep. The mother turtle was so big that she dug a very deep hole. I thought I wouldn't be able to get it, and I was going to put a stake in it to mark the spot and retrieve it later, but then I thought, 'Just a little more effort,' so I dove in. I thought I was going to fall into the hole, but I had to strain to hold on. It was more tiring than going to the gym!" Although I couldn't see his face clearly, I could hear his voice, and I could imagine his eyes filled with pride and joy at successfully rescuing the nest of eggs. It wasn't just the joy of completing the task, but also the affection he had for the mother turtles and their nests.

Quoc Thai is passionate about experiences and exploration, but among so many exciting options out there, he chose sea turtle conservation.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

For Thai, getting close to the mother turtles was a stroke of luck.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

"The mother turtles are so beautiful, aren't they! I feel so lucky to be so close to them, to hear their breathing, to smell the sea and ocean scent on them. Can you smell it too?" he whispered as he lay beside the mother turtle, trying to keep his voice low so it would blend in with the sound of the waves, avoiding detection. I smiled in the darkness. You have to love turtles and the sea so much to be able to hear and smell their breath! It wasn't his cleverness, but the love and care he showed for each mother turtle that moved me. Perhaps it is this very feeling, for ancient animals like sea turtles, that helps us, the conservation staff and volunteers, overcome our limitations, staying up night after night to watch over the mother turtles as they lay their eggs, exhausted but still filled with joy.

Cherish every life.

"Oh my goodness, they're so cute!" Thai exclaimed excitedly when he first saw the baby turtles emerging from the sand. Newly hatched turtles are quite small, with shells only about 4-5 cm long and weighing around 30 grams. Their adorable tiny size made the young man from sunny Tay Ninh unable to hide his smile. Every evening, at the beginning and end of his shift, he would "sneak" into the turtle egg incubation pond to check if any baby turtles had emerged from their nests, so he could release them back into the sea that same night.

Gently care for and release the baby turtles back into the sea.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Knowing that the survival rate of baby turtles to adulthood is only 1 in 1000, Thai paid special attention to the technique of burying and incubating eggs to ensure the highest possible hatching rate. After 45-60 days, the eggs will hatch and the baby turtles will emerge from the sand. At that time, staff and volunteers will release them back into the sea, to begin their wild lives where they belong.

"It's amazing! These tiny baby turtles, if they're lucky enough to survive in 20-30 years, will return to their birthplace to lay eggs and continue their journey of survival," Quoc Thai said affectionately, watching the baby turtles scurrying towards the sea. "Every time I see them swim out to sea, I always feel admiration, mixed with a little fear. Each tiny step seems to contain the resilience of these ancient creatures, spanning millions of years. There's worry, but also hope, isn't there?" The early morning sunlight made his eyes squint slightly, glistening with emotion.

Thai and the IUCN volunteers

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

The storyteller is charming.

"My volunteer days in Bay Canh helped me understand more about sea turtles and the world of wildlife, and appreciate the wondrous beauty and value of nature. I know I'm just an individual, but I want to contribute to nature conservation and environmental protection through my actions," Quoc Thai confided about his decision to share his sea turtle conservation stories on social media platforms.

Working in the media field, Thai is confident that she can use her strengths and skills to bring conservation stories to the community, spreading positive messages that help people understand more about sea turtles, wildlife, and the tireless efforts of authorities and nature lovers both domestically and internationally.

In just a few months, Thai's TikTok channel "Salmon Goes On" has attracted tens of millions of views and millions of interactions – proof that young people are truly interested in nature, if someone tells them about it from the heart. "This also motivates me to continue sharing images, videos, and stories about sea turtles and the wonders of nature with the community," Thai confided.

For many, the volunteer program has come to an end, but for Quoc Thai, the journey of participating in wildlife conservation and nature preservation continues and there is still a long way to go, where he can use his abilities, enthusiasm, and the sincerity of youth to contribute his voice and actions to spread and inspire others.

Quoc Thai is not a hero. He is just an ordinary young man, but by living kindly and responsibly towards nature, showing love and acting daily for the sake of other lives, he has made this world warmer, gentler, and greener – even if only a little, but it is incredibly meaningful and precious.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cham-vao-hoi-tho-dai-duong-hanh-trinh-bao-ton-rua-bien-cua-chang-trai-tay-ninh-185251027220821857.htm