It is believed that one of the reasons for low hatchling production in past years is that many eggs were being laid in nests made below the high tide line and, as a result, were being submerged in salt water which stops egg development and kills the embryo. The Las Baulas Conservation Project had turned an area on the beach into a "hatchery." Following the success of the hatchery in the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons, it was decided to move some nests into the hatchery to save them from being flooded by high tides that we experience early in the season. The hatchery is located higher on the beach in an area safe from flooding by waves. Eggs are collected as the turtle lays them and then carefully transported to a nest dug by hand in the hatchery. Nests are dug to the same depth as those made by the turtles and are one metre apart. Some nests have gas and temperature sampling devices placed in them. Between some nests are placed sampling devices without eggs to measure the control data. Each nest is identified with the details of the turtle which laid the eggs, and the number of eggs. After the nests have hatched, they are excavated and the success rates are calculated.