May 19, 2020 By David Waldstein The New York Times
They found that the turtles are actually creating decoy nests designed to fool predators like mongooses, dogs and wild pigs, and prevent them from sniffing out the real nests and devouring their eggs. Their findings challenge earlier theories that the turtles were disguising their nests and, in some cases, easing hatchlings’ trips to the water.