Working to protect and restore hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles
Sea Turtle Conservancy began working in the Bocas del Toro and Comarca Ngabe-Buglé region in 2003 to protect and restore the once globally significant hawksbill and leatherback sea turtle nesting populations. The project consists of intensive monitoring of hawksbill and leatherback sea turtle nesting activity, protection of nesting females and their nests, and public education in the region. Within this region STC has standardized monitoring, research and protection efforts in collaboration with members of communities close to the nesting beaches. In addition, education and awareness programs have been developed to highlight the importance of protecting and conserving sea turtles and other natural resources.
In 2012, STC established an office in Bocas del Toro on Isla Colón to support all the different projects in the region. The office provides information about the different sea turtle species found in the region, their life cycle, and migratory routes. Visitors can also learn about the research, education and community work STC does in the region.
Expanding Protection Efforts
Since STC established sea turtle monitoring programs in the Bocas del Toro region, nesting numbers have steadily increased, indicating that the local population is responding positively to conservation measures. Unfortunately, the sea turtles that nest on these beaches face a number of threats, including illegal hunting of nests and turtles, predation by domestic dogs, impacts from climate change, and the harpooning of turtles by fishermen in the sea. STC addresses these threats by patrolling the beach at night, conducting spay and neuter clinics to reduce dog predation of nests, relocating and caging nests, and collaborating with local partners to report instances of illegal hunting. On Soropta Beach, where last year poachers took nearly 75% of all the nests, STC is now directly protecting nests by relocating eggs to a hatchery where they are monitored 24 hours a day.
