A volunteer making the Watamu Turtle Watch gate using recycled flip-flops
Watamu Turtle Watch our flagship programme, it has managed to secure the main Watamu Marine Park beach as a 99.9% viable sea turtle nesting site for endangered sea turtles. We patrol and monitor our nests rigorously.
Nesting turtle – in August 2008.
Other local beaches come under our community programme and whilst human predation has decreased it has not stopped in many places.
Watamu beach
Kenya’s nesting turtles include Green, Hawksbill and the rare (on our coastline) Olive Ridley. Leatherback turtles migrate through our waters. There have been anecdotal reports of rare leatherback nests on the Kenya coast, including one in Watamu. Loggerhead turtles also pass through our waters.
Green turtle in rehab
Information and technical assistance on how to manage turtle nesting sites is made available to other groups and we are always ready to provide help when ever necessary. We have provided training for projects afar a field as Manda Island in Tanzania. We work closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service and KESCOM including passing on all our data and providing training.
Hatchlings in july 2008.
to be continued……
Nicki Parazzi
Watamu Turtle Watch – Trustee.
