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Impacts
Support the development of the Desemboque Tortuguero Group working to protect and care for sea turtle nests, research, and education.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Led by Mayra Astorga, originally from Desemboque, year after year, members of Desemboque Tortuguero monitor 20 km of coastline at night in search of sea turtle nests to transport eggs to a hatchery on the outskirts of Desemboque. The primary turtles to arrive are Olive ridley and green turtles. Between 1,500-2,000 sea turtle hatchlings are released each year.
The recently built turtle house, "Casa Turtle", will be used for meetings, a hostel, and the headquarters of the Desemboque Tortuguero group.
Ancestral Tides
The Desemboque Tortuguero Group is currently part of the Ancestral Tides, an initiative boosted by the Amazon Conservation Team. This initiative is a network of leaders from indigenous coastal communities from Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica, including the Comcaac, Guna, Emberá, Kogui, Kamëntsá, and Kofan, that work to protect the sea turtles.
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Plans for 2023-24 include:
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Relocate the sea turtle nursery inland to avoid flooding from sea level rise.
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Strengthen data collection and management with new technology.
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Initiate nest temperature monitoring to assess climate change impacts.
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Mitigate heat stress with new shade cloth.
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Support repairs of beach patrol vehicles.
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Facilitate knowledge exchanges with other indigenous sea conservation groups from Mexico, Panama and Colombia.
Ancestral Tides Gathering Indigenous Representatives, 2022 Costa Rica Gathering
Sea Turtle Conservation
