May 19, 2023

Protecting Sri Lanka's endangered turtle species

topic:	Conservation
located:	Sri Lanka
editor:	Bindu Gopal Rao

The island nation of Sri Lanka is home to five kinds of turtles - Green, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead and the Hawksbill sea turtle. These turtles are key marine species that help regulate ocean health. However, these turtles are all globally threatened with some species facing extinction.

Turtles help regulate marine ecosystems by feeding on other organisms, like seagrass, and by spreading their droppings as they move around, which fertilises the water’s surfaces allowing for new plants to grow.

Despite laws that have limited their trade, the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle is poached for its shells. While some of the threats they face are intentional, such as being killed for their meat or for their unhatched eggs, there are also unintentional dangers targeting the species, like fishing nets and the encroachment of tourism on their nesting areas.

To protect these creatures and the ecosystems they benefit, there are concerted efforts to protect the turtles and about 18 Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Centres in Kosgoda, Sri Lanka are leading the effort. The entrance Fee of LKR 1000 (USD 3.22) to the centre may seem small but it helps to protect the lives of 30 baby turtles.

The aim is twofold - to monitor local sea turtle activity and conserve the local nesting sites. Within these conservation centres, there are hatcheries that house eggs collected and rescued by the local fishermen. These eggs are buried in sand and after 48 days the hatchlings are born – cool sands produce males and warmer sands produce females. There are large tracts of sand with small boards that have the kind of turtle and number of eggs in each bin. The baby turtles are kept in water tanks for three days and are then safely released into the ocean.

The Victor Hasselblad Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Centre has already released four-million turtles into the sea using this methodology. The conservation centre is also home to some turtles, especially injured ones, that would not survive in the ocean. The centres also aim to educate visitors about the importance of turtle conservation, especially children who come on school visits.

There are several infographic boards that have information on the research work being done for turtle conservation, nesting behaviour, as well as information about the different kinds of sea turtles. The conservation centres here are working relentlessly towards making the case for these endangered turtles and need more grants and monetary support to make a bigger impact.

Image by Bindu Gopal Rao