🐢 Can You Really See Sea Turtles?

– Coexisting with Wildlife While Visiting the Island –

But please, don’t get too close.

**~ Travel Etiquette for Coexisting with the Island’s Wildlife ~**

In Miyako Island, if you’re lucky, you might encounter a sea turtle swimming gracefully through the clear blue waters or catching its breath on the shore.

It’s a moment that naturally makes you want to take a picture.

But behind that “cute” scene lies stress and danger—things we often don’t realize.

🌺 Wildlife You May Encounter Around Miyako Island

Many wild animals live or migrate through the area around Miyako Island:

• 🐢 Green and Loggerhead Sea Turtles
  　→ Often come ashore to nest or rest
• 🐦 Terns, sandpipers, and other migratory birds
  　→ Use tide pools and wetlands as resting spots
• 🌊 Coral reefs and small tropical fish
  　→ Popular among snorkelers and divers

All of them live side by side with our tourism activities.

🚫 Getting Too Close, Touching, or Chasing = Major Stress

When a sea turtle surfaces to breathe,

if someone is too close, it may get startled and dive back without getting enough air.

Some turtles even abandon nesting attempts when they see people on the beach.

📸 Even when taking photos or videos, distance and silence are key.

To wild animals, humans can appear as threats or predators.

🔦 Is Using a Flashlight on the Beach at Night Okay?

During summer nights, sea turtles may come ashore to lay eggs.

While it’s understandable to want to witness this magical moment—

• Bright lights can interrupt nesting behavior
• Hatchlings can become disoriented and head toward the wrong direction

🌙 On beaches at night, please refrain from using lights, and simply observe quietly from a distance.

💡 Travel Gently With Wildlife

As tourism grows, our closeness to wildlife is increasing—sometimes too much.

It’s not just about “cute moments” or “Instagram shots.”

Take a moment to think about the lives and rhythms of these animals.

✅ Simple Eco-Actions You Can Take in Miyako Island

• 🐢 Use zoom lenses or binoculars instead of getting physically close to turtles or birds
• 📸 Avoid flash photography; observe quietly
• 🔦 Do not use lights on the beach at night, and avoid disturbing nesting sites
• 🗑️ Never leave trash or plastics on the beach; take them with you

🌏 A Journey of Coexistence Protects Miyako’s Future

Let’s ensure that our travels aren’t a threat, but an opportunity for peaceful coexistence with the island’s wildlife.

A little care goes a long way—

to pass down this beautiful island, and its living nature, to future generations.

✍️ This article is brought to you by Myakuzumi, a local media site sharing the present and future of Miyako Island.

Not just a photo trip—

but a journey to look into life itself.