Turtle heroes: Protecting Sea Turtles in Suriname

Things have been rather quiet lately, with not too much action out in the field. We've mostly been holed up at the office getting ready for a slew of projects lined up for later this year and planning some fun vacation activities for the children in Galibi!

We did provide information to one of the local dailies, first about how sea turtle tourism when done right can actually help protect the animals. And second, about the shocking consumption of sea turtle eggs that is still widespread in our community.

This year, we're diving deep into the fight against terrestrial and aquatic pollution. Our mission? Not just to cut down on waste and pollution, but to stop it before it reaches the ocean and harms marine life, especially our beloved sea turtles. That means diving into waste management laws, testing new technology, and raising awareness of the harmful impact of marine pollution and litter through education and awareness campaigns.

We're super excited about some upcoming stuff, like our marine expeditions and the marine biology course we're putting together for students and anyone else keen to learn. Most people in Suriname have never been at sea, let alone explored the green or blue parts, so it's gonna be a real eye-opener, showing just how vast and vital our oceans are for both us and the animals who call it home.

We're looking forward to a knowledge swap we're working on between local people and sea turtle experts. One of our goals this year is to send locals who are involved in the sea turtle monitoring program to Costa Rica to train with Christine Figgener. During this training, they'll gain hands-on experience and access the latest info on sea turtle conservation and data collection. They will then be able to share this knowledge with others in Suriname and better participate in management and monitoring projects in their communities. This opportunity will bolster the skills of our local community, enabling them to become the sea turtle heroes for those animals nesting on Surinamese beaches.

So yeah, even though things might've been quiet lately, there's a whole lot of buzz building up for what's coming next. We thank you for your support, without your help we would not be able to do all this. 

Links:

• How tourism helps protect sea turtles
• Organized network responsible poaching sea turtle eggs