WWF Species Protection Programme on Sea Turtles

Background

There are seven species of sea turtles in the world, and five of them are found in East Africa. The Kiunga Marine Reserve hosts the Green, the Hawksbill, the Ridley, the Loggerhead and the Leatherback turtle. The sea turtles are endangered and needs protection. One direct human threat is purposeful killing of turtles by people for food, decorations and commercial reasons. Indirect human threats are accidental entanglement in fishing nets causing drowning, artificial lightning along beaches causing confusion during nesting and hatching, defecting the whole process and pollution of beaches with trash like plastics being eaten by the turtles causing digestion problems and even suffocation. Among the natural threats, predators is a problem as for all animals. The turtles are to sharks what chickens are to humans - dinner. The hatchlings can also be eaten by crabs and birds on land, the octopus and fish await them in the sea.

Results

Through locally based research and monitoring programmes some achievements include: over 600 turtle nests protected, 35000 hatchlings successfully reached the ocean, 37 female turtles tagged and mortality numbers lowered since 1997. The first ever recorded dugong released from a fisher’s gill net in October 1999, and sightings continue to be recorded.
WWF and KMNR have established a turtle patrol team, consisting of dedicated young men, many of them ex fishermen from the local community. They have been trained in turtle conservation and will be our guides.
WWF and KMNR have developed an education and awareness programme targeting all stakeholders, local communities and schools in the area on sustainable natural resource management. An education centre has been established to facilitate the above aims, as well as a school scholarship programme.

The way  forward

• to extend the number of turtle ocean patrols, to monitor fishing gear and follow up on turtle mortalites
• to continue the turtle tagging programme to provide more insight in the movements and habits of the turtles
• to extend the volounteer programme hiring local youth to assist and learn about turtle protection
• to continue the education and awareness programme activities
• to deepen the co-operation between Basecamp Explorer and WWF with ecotoursim activities and support for the projects
  
  It is possible to sponsor and take an active part in WWF Turtle Conservation Programme.

For further details contact:

tina@basecampexplorer.com