Singapore Oceanarium, part of the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) casino complex run by Genting Singapore Ltd, has advanced its marine conservation work through a collaboration with the city-state’s National Parks Board (NParks). The oceanarium has taken in eight hawksbill turtle hatchlings as part of an ongoing “headstarting” initiative to improve the prospects for that critically-endangered species.
The reptiles were hatched at NParks’ turtle hatchery in October 2025, and have been under specialist care at Singapore Oceanarium where they “underwent quarantine, veterinary assessment and early-life husbandry,” per a recent announcement.
After six months in controlled care, the turtles have now been moved to a public-facing habitat within the venue’s Horizontal Migration Zone.
“They will remain in the care of Singapore Oceanarium until they are assessed to have a strong chance of survival in the wild and released,” according to the update.
The Singapore Oceanarium – an expansion and rebranding of the former S.E.A. Aquarium at the Resorts World Sentosa complex – opened to the public on July 24 last year.
The initiative builds on an earlier phase launched in 2019 when the former S.E.A. Aquarium began a similar programme with NParks. That first cohort involved 10 hatchlings, which were eventually released between 2023 and 2024, with selected individuals fitted with satellite tags to monitor post-release movement. Tracking data showed migration patterns extending toward Indonesia and southern Thailand.
Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with survival rates from hatchling stage to adulthood estimated at between one in 1,000 and one in 10,000 due to predation and environmental threats. The initiative seeks to improve outcomes by raising turtles through their most vulnerable life stage before release.
Singapore Oceanarium said the latest programme also supports public education and research efforts, while strengthening awareness of Singapore’s marine biodiversity and long-term wildlife recovery initiatives.
