Turtle heroes: Protecting Sea Turtles in Suriname

Hello, sea turtle friends!

It has been an exciting and busy time here in Suriname! As you know, pollution in the sea is a major issue for sea turtles, both in the ocean and on nesting beaches. Since 80% of all marine litter originates from land, addressing waste on land is a crucial step in keeping our oceans clean and protecting these already vulnerable animals. However, tackling this problem is challenging when we don’t have data on how much litter is being produced!

That’s why I’m thrilled to share that we are finally ready to start collecting data on litter in Suriname! Over the past four months, we have engaged with various stakeholders and visited multiple locations to identify the best sites for this pilot study. We have now selected two locations along the Suriname River where we will begin data collection. The information gathered will help us develop targeted interventions to address the litter problem.

While this study won’t take place at Suriname’s two main nesting beaches, Braamspunt and Galibi, we will be organizing multiple cleanups at these sites. These cleanups will continue to raise awareness on the importance of these important nesting beaches. During these cleanups, we won’t just remove waste, we’ll also designate sections of the area to categorize the different types of litter we find. We tested this method during our last cleanup at Galibi in September, and it was a lot of work! We quickly realized that a larger team would be needed to handle this effectively. Fortunately, we have multiple volunteers eager to help with this project! The people of Galibi are also always willing to pitch in, as marine litter is a serious issue for both their village and the surrounding nesting beaches.

In other news, we’re excited to welcome our new intern, Esmee! She will be helping us develop educational materials for elementary and secondary schools, as well as designing activities for the Galibi vacation program taking place during the Easter break in April. We’re looking forward to working with her to create fun and engaging educational games and activities. One of our upcoming projects includes a cleanup competition for the children! None of this would have been possible without all of YOU! Thank you for all your support and stay tuned for more updates!