Sri Lanka is home to 5 of the world’s 7 sea turtle species. These species are

• The Green turtle
• The Hawsbill turtle
• The Loggerhead turtle
• The Olive ridley turtle
• The Leatherback turtle

All these species are listed as either threatened or endangered and need your help (sponsor or volunteer). The leatherback and hawksbill turtles are critically endangered, the green turtle and olive ridley turle are listed as endangered and the loggerhead is threatened.

Why these turtles are either listed as threatened or endangered.

One of the most significant threats comes from fishing. In such cases the turtle gets caught up in a fishing nets and is unable to surface for air. The poor animal dies a horrible dead as a consequence.

There is also a demand for their shell for decoration and supposed medical healing properties.

Beach development disrupts the turtle’s breading area. Turtles return to the same beach to nest each time.

Hatchlings find their way to the water by crawling towards the brightest horizon. Coastal development such as boulevards with streetlights could lead them in the opposite way.

Last but far from least is the consumption of turtle eggs and meat. Estimates are that over 70,000 turtles are killed worldwide each year for consumption.

A number of other cause of which less is known are fibropapillomatosis (a disease that causes tumours in sea turtles) and rising temperatures (sand temperature at nesting beaches determine the sex and rising temperatures may cause an overpopulation of females).

What do we do to help save the turtles

Sea turtles are not doing so well. Together with the local people of Sri Lanka we can help the turtles and give them a much larger chance to survive at their most vulnerable moments.

Together the locals and volunteers collect turtle eggs from the beach nests and local markets and bury these in protected hatcheries. Here the baby turtles have the best chance on being born in a safe environment.

After birth they are taken to water tanks where they can spend their first days in safety. Volunteers hand feed them making them stronger and keeping them healthy.

When they are large enough the baby turtles are released into the ocean, chaperoned by the volunteers. In this way predators, that would otherwise have killed and eaten the baby turtles on the beach, are kept at bay and the turtles can start their new lives in safety with a much larger survival chance.

What can you do to help save the turtles?

We would love to have you either sponsor the sea turtle project or come to Sri Lanka as a volunteer.

For details on volunteering on the turtle conservation project please click here.
To sponsor LEO Project Foundation initiatives please click here.