BANTUL. Dozens of sea turtle hatchlings made their way to the open sea—returning to their natural habitat.
On Saturday morning at Pantai Baru, Bantul, the shoreline became the departure point for 50 young turtles beginning their journey into the ocean.

A total of 50 hatchlings were released as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program titled “Peduli Laut, Lestarikan Alam” (Care for the Sea, Preserve Nature), organized by Next Hotel Yogyakarta in collaboration with MNC Peduli and the Pantai Baru Sea Turtle Conservation Group. The initiative aims to support marine biodiversity while raising awareness of the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems.

In addition to the hatchling release, the event included a beach clean-up involving hotel staff and volunteers, as well as a donation of Rp1.5 million to the local conservation group. The funds will support their ongoing turtle breeding efforts and environmental education activities.

“We believe that sustainable tourism should benefit both the environment and the surrounding community, especially the people of Bantul. Through this CSR program, releasing hatchlings and cleaning the beach, we hope to inspire more people to take part in protecting marine ecosystems,” said Hartoyo, General Manager of Next Hotel Yogyakarta.

After the release, participants walked along the shoreline collecting plastic waste, household trash, and remnants of tourist activity. The waste was then sorted for further processing.

Through this initiative, Next Hotel Yogyakarta and MNC Peduli continue to encourage cross-sector collaboration in protecting coastal ecosystems and reinforcing the role of tourism in driving sustainable practices.