The Turtle Project

Project Animal(s) : Green, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Leatherback and Loggerhead.
Project Category : Reptiles
Project Region : Africa
Project Type : Conservation
Project URL : http://www.lamcot.org/projects/turtle-project
Project is timebound? : No

The back bone of LamCoT is turtle conservation. In 1992 the rate of decline in turtle numbers was so extreme that Carol Korschen at Peponi Hotel decided to set up a project whereby the community were encouraged to protect turtles rather than kill them or take their eggs. The project has seen incredible results and has expanded hugely since then.

Ex poachers now patrol Shella Beach and Takwa Beach, Manda to prevent the illegal poaching of eggs and mark out new nest sites and monitor them until hatching.

Using a grant from Tusk, local fishermen are paid incentives (depending on the size of the turtle) to bring in turtles caught in their nets to be measured, treated for any health problems, tagged and released.

LamCoT works under the umbrella organization Kenya Sea Turtle Conservation Committee, KESCOM, collaborating with all turtle conservation groups up and down the Kenya Coast. Data collected on nesting, releasing, mortality and further activities concerning sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem is sent to (KESCOM) and Tusk Trust together with the annual reports.

The turtle project has inspired leaders in the community to take it upon themselves to create awareness through the wider community and to establish a greater understanding and more sustainable use of the islands’ resources

Project Agency : The Lamu Marine Conservation Trust

Project Agency Contact : http://www.lamcot.org/

Additional Information :

https://www.tusk.org/projects/lamu-marine-conservation-trust/