Wildlife officials found dozens of leatherback turtle eggs on a Thai beach during spawning season.

Prarop Plaengngan, the chief of Khao Lampi–Hat Thai Mueang National Park, said staff from the Phuket Marine National Park Operation Center were surveying the shore when they noticed the clutch of eggs buried beneath the sand at around 1 am on December 27.

They relocated the cluster near a tourist centre to protect it from the tides. There were 122 eggs - 80 fertilised and 42 empty.

Prarop said it was the third batch of eggs at the beach, with the mother turtle previously visiting the beach on December 8 and 17.

He said: 'This aligns with the behaviour of leatherback turtles, which typically lay eggs once every ten days. The staff will continue to monitor the nest to prevent interference from humans and other animals.

'It is anticipated that the eggs will incubate for a period of 55 to 60 days before hatching on around February 19 to 24 next year.'

Leatherback turtles are the largest species of sea turtles, known for their distinctive leathery shell and lack of a bony carapace.

They are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, as bycatch, pollution, and habitat encroachment threaten their populations.