Billion Baby Turtles Update - June 2023
June was an exciting month with all the events (virtual and in person) celebrating our beloved sea turtles. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
But the usual work protecting sea turtles also continues, as well as our Billion Baby Turtle Grants. June was also a great month because we were able to support 3 past partners with 4 different projects and a new partner with 3 projects in 3 different countries in Africa with a total of US$ 31,500. So far, this year we have given US$ 94,500 to support nesting beaches.
Latin America Sea Turtles (LAST): Cahuita & Moin Beaches, Costa Rica
Since 2000 ANAI and LAST nonprofit organizations have worked for the protection and conservation of nesting females and baby sea turtles in Cahuita Beach. SEE Turtles president Brad Nahill helped to launch the first season of this work working for ANAI. During the last decade it was estimated that 90% of the nests at this beach were lost by wildlife predation, illegal egg collectors, or washed out by the ocean. Cahuita’s nest population represents one of the highest numbers reported for Caribbean hawksbill turtles in Costa Rica. For this season, through our Billion Baby Turtles program supported this project with US $3,500 to help continuing the protection of this beach
Leatherback hatchlings on Moin Beach. Credit: Latin American Sea Turtles
From March to September Moin beach is threatened by illegal human actions during nesting season (commercial trade with eggs, meat and turtle shell is common in this area). Without protection, almost all the nests would be taken and many adult turtles would be killed for their meat as well. We supported this project with US $4,000 to keep protecting adults and baby turtles to get back to the ocean.
Ayotlcalli A.C., Playa Blanca, Playa Larga, Barra de Potosi, Guerrero, Mexico
Campamento Tortuguero Ayotlcalli was founded in September of 2011 with the purpose of protecting and help increase the population of three species of marine turtles that nest within 15 kilometers of beaches that include Playa Blanca, Playa Larga, and Barra de Potosi in Zihuatanejo. This nonprofit organization works with the assistance of several local and international volunteers who performed various activities such-as, night patrols searching for nests, once located, the eggs are relocated into the hatchery, pertinent data is recorded and when the hatchlings are born, they are safely released into their vast new home.
A very important area of target is environmental education. For that reason, the implementation of diverse programs has been developed. Visitors and tourists attend an educational presentation that addresses the impact of plastic disposal in the oceans and marine life. Workshops are presented to fishermen and hotel employees. “Warriors of the Rainbow '' is a summer program where local children attend two weeks of intense environmental education and also integrates other educational areas. Billion Baby Turtles supported Ayotlcalli with US$ 3,500, helping to protect the 3 different species that nest on these beaches (olive ridleys, leatherbacks, and black turtles) and more than 15,000 baby turtles.
Olive ridley hatchling: Credit Ayotlcalli
Chelonia, Playa Grande, Puerto Rico.
Chelonia group is in charge of monitoring and documenting the nesting seasons of the leatherback turtle in Playa Grande El Paraíso during the last ten years. It is also in charge of documenting and monitoring the hawksbill nesting season on the islands of Mona and Culebra in Puerto Rico. Billion Baby Turtles supported this program with US$ 500 to keep record of the number of nests in this area.
Réseau des Acteurs et Professionnels de la Sauvegarde des Tortues Marines en Afrique Centrale (RASTOMA - Central Africa Marine Turtle Network)
RASTOMA acts on the scale of the Central African sub-region because this is the minimum scale for effective action on marine turtles, which are migratory species. RASTOMA promotes conservation carried out by local communities and develops Income Generating Activities to ensure the sustainability of actions in the field. It also develops synergies between network members and strengthens their capacity, influence and impact on marine turtles and their habitats in Central Africa and beyond.
RASTOMA Cameroon
Cameroon hosts 4 species of marine turtles that nest and forage along its coastline (hawksbill, green, leatherback and olive ridley turtles). These species are facing intense anthropogenic pressures such as eggs and females taken, bycatch, etc. This project aims to contribute to the reduction of these threats by engaging local people in securing nests and nesting beaches, training in the release of accidentally caught turtles and educating local communities on the need to preserve marine turtles. RASTOMA and partners are already working with 3 experienced beach patrollers on the site. They will identify and train 7 additional beach patrollers. The 2-day practical training will focus on species identification, biometry, nest and bycatch monitoring, education and sensitization techniques, and release of by-caught alive or stranded individuals. Billion Baby Turtles supported this project with US$ 10,000 to help them grow this amazing project.
RASTOMA Gabon
The coastline of Gabon is 950 km long and is an important nesting site for three species of marine turtles in Central Africa: olive ridley, leatherback, and green turtles. This project aims to reduce threats affecting sea turtles and nests by conducting beach monitoring and nest transfer to the hatchery in the Gamba protected area complex (13 km). Regular patrols are carried out from October to March at night and in the morning on this beach. During this period, all turtles encountered are measured and all nests are recorded, turtle's tracks and nests are disguised to avoid illegal taking. Exposed or endangered nests are transferred to a hatchery. Billion Bay Turtles is supporting this project with US$ 5,000 for this upcoming season.
RASTOMA Democratic Republic of Congo
Five species of marine turtles occur along the Atlantic coast of Democratic Republic of Congo including green, leatherback, hawksbill, olive ridley and loggerhead turtles. These species are threatened by poaching, bycatch and intentional by-catches combined with coastal erosion which damages nests and nesting habitat of marine turtles. The project intends to employ the local communities to protect nesting females and eggs to ensure the sustainability of nesting sites in the RDC. For this season we supported this project with US $5,000.