This is the heartwarming moment an endangered green sea turtle successfully laid eggs on a beach in Thailand.

The 4ft-long pregnant reptile was seen wading at the Ao Ma Dam beach in Trang province on January 19.

It searched for a comfortable spot before digging a hole in the sand while local officials watched it from a distant.

Once the turtle had settled in its hole, of the officials checked on it and flashed a torch to make sure that it had successfully laid its eggs.

Marine staff cheered in delight as the turtle was able to lay several eggs before resting for half an hour.

Chaiyaphreuk Weerawong, the head of Mu Ko Libong Non-hunting Area, said their staff have been protecting wildlife that visited the beach.

He said: ‘We are proud that wildlife on our island had started to flourish. We will continue with the effort and hope that many turtles will come to nest here.’

The turtle took three hours to lay its 81 eggs and slept before swimming back into the sea.

Some of the villagers built a bamboo enclosure around the nest to make sure the eggs are protected until they hatch.

The eggs are expected to mature and hatch after up to 60 days and the officials will return to check on them to make sure the babies reach the sea.

Green sea turtles are classed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species