Sea Turtle Conservation

 

CONSERVATION OF SEA TURTLE, NEST AND HABITAT

In season 2018-19, we have recorded 755 olive ridley nests and 7 Green turtle nests along the entire Bangladesh coast except the Mangrove Sunderban. Out of that 755 nests have been recorded and conserved within FWS-US project area. A total 65,388 hatchlings so far been released by the community people that hatched MLA sea turtle program, estimated more than 76% hatching on average. In few cases highest 98 % hatching also recorded by the local people within the semi in situ relocated hatching ground. The nest record and the hatchlings release increased dramatically comparing the previous year efforts. It seems that due to the lack of survey efforts before, we could not get all nesting information. 100% in situ conservation is virtually ineffective in Bangladesh coast specially in Cox’s Bazar area until now, but our current effort on hatching success is good comparing other projects in other country. Here relocation hatching ground summarized in the following Table-4.1. Few nests face inundation in late season and pre-monsoon period in May–June. The nest record and hatchlings release increased dramatically comparing seasons before 2013, as large number of manpower recruited for nest monitoring and conservation through the integrated efforts of BFD, FWS. It seems that due to lack of survey efforts before, we could not get all nesting information and many nests might have been stolen, predated or some might have been naturally hatched without any records. Currently largely in situ conservation is virtually ineffective in Bangladesh coast specially in Cox’s Bazar area until now due to large number of settlements and disturbances. Although relocation is discouraged throughout the world, in Bangladesh it is still our destiny and Marinelife Alliance found out innovative hatching technique just using natural parameters. Nesting and hatching data summery has been depicted in the Figure-5.14a and 5.9. We have done a comprehensive work on education and awareness program around 300 fishing boats have so far been registered and fishermen’s are periodically being trained and motivated on bycatch reduction, data collection and try to help safe release of marine megafauna affected in bycatch. 

 

AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

Awareness programs and local school education programs done to share knowledge with the grassroots people like general inhabitants, local elites, fishermen about the facts of sea turtle. Videos exhibited to the people, target groups to influence positively.