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SCIENCEFriday 4 March 2016
Turtles are key as Kenya balances ecology and development
ILYA GRIDNEFF, In this Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 photo, local ocean marine scouts who are trained on sea conser- man of the governmental
Associated Press vation by Local Ocean Trust, carry a rehabilitated turtle from their Watamu centre on the Kenyan Kenya Wildlife Service, said
WATAMU, Kenya (AP) — A coast to release back into the Indian Ocean. that while tourism and hu-
turtle drags itself along a mans have invariably af-
white sandy beach, splash- Associated Press fected the environment,
es through the gentle locally run projects on Ke-
warm Indian Ocean and Malindi resident David Kirk Van de Geer said turtles injured. nya’s coast have sustained
then vanishes with a plop, said the resort has been an need quiet, sandy beach- “A big adult turtle can endangered turtle popula-
becoming one of 13,750 “absolute environmental es to lay eggs and large fetch up to $500 on the tion over the past decade.
turtle success stories on a disaster,” in which forests tourist resorts or housing black market,” Van de “The situation these days is
stretch of Kenyan coastline full of nesting birds were developments disturb that Geer said. “Fisherman earn much better,” Leakey said.
facing pressure from devel- destroyed and soil erosion process. about $100 a month, in a “We still have problems
opers. because of the seawall “Light and noise scare good month. So one turtle with turtles getting stuck
Kenya is striving to strike a had stopped turtles from them off,” he said. “They is almost half a year of work in trawler nets but we’ve
balance between devel- coming ashore to lay eggs. lay their eggs above the “Turtle conservation is seen very positive signs re-
oping its 330 miles (530 ki- Resort general manager high water mark. The nest crucial because it also garding turtle numbers.”
lometers) of coastline for a Stephanie Ravessoud said has to be warm and above protects the habitat for The Local Ocean Trust has
billion-dollar tourism indus- the seawall was built fol- the water, so erosion af- thousands of other spe- rescued and sent back to
try that employs a half-mil- lowing all government re- fects that.” cies, including sharks, dol- the ocean turtles 13,750
lion people and preserving quirements and respects Local Ocean Trust runs a phins and whales,” Van times over the past 20 years
the environment that at- the environment. rehabilitation center in de Geer said. “By protect- of working in Watamu, ac-
tracts those visitors. As the “Erosion has been there Watamu that Van de Geer ing turtles you are protect- cording to Van de Geer. A
East African nation does for decades. Everybody manages where sick or ing beaches, mangroves, turtle tagged in Watamu
so, some experts say that knows that sand in our area injured turtles are nursed open ocean, reefs and sea was later found in the
turtles are key, because is being washed away long back to health. The group grass, which is virtually ev- Chagos archipelago 2,300
they are so picky when it before the building of our also compensates local ery ecosystem in the tropi- miles (3,700 kilometers)
comes to laying eggs that wall,” she said. fishermen for turtles caught cal ocean.” away, he said.
if the right environment is Marine biologist Casper in their nets or found sick or Dr. Richard Leakey, chair- “From Mozambique, to
maintained for them, then Australia, to India and Thai-
things are going well. land, we all have a stake in
Kenya’s record is mixed in this,” he said. “The beach
protecting endangered here has an impact on the
turtles, but is going pretty entire ocean, that’s the
well, a top wildlife official weird and amazing thing
says. about turtles.”
One of several sore spots Of species found in Kenya,
for conservationists and lo- the Hawksbill turtle is criti-
cals — and not least of all, cally endangered and the
the turtles — is a hotel of Green turtle is endangered
former Renault F1 tycoon while the Leatherback, Ol-
Flavio Briatore, 25 kilome- ive Ridley and Loggerhead
ters (16 miles) north of here. turtles are vulnerable to be-
The dispute centers around coming extinct, according
Briatore’s Billionaire Resort to the International Union
on Malindi beach and its for Conservation of Nature.
100-meter concrete sea- “Despite our efforts, man
wall to protect the prop- remains the turtle’s most
erty and guests from the serious enemy,” Van de
elements. Geer said.q
