Web of Life

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BENTOTA - Sri Lankan conservationist Kithsiri Kannangara wipes a tear as he stands over a patch of sand and broken wire mesh, the only surviving incubation pit of his hatchery for endangered sea turtles.

Twelve days after giant tsunami waves destroyed the hatchery, washing away 20,000 eggs, seven rare green turtles and $500,000 worth of research equipment, Kannangara is still trying to come to terms with the loss.

The 40-year-old turtle researcher combed a nearby thicket in search of a large leatherback turtle, one of his most prized possessions. His whole life revolved around sea turtles and hatchlings.

His hard work was washed away by the devastating tsunami on Dec. 26, which battered Sri Lanka's southern, eastern and northern shores, killing more than 30,000 people.

"I tried hard to save the eggs, but it was impossible, they were to hatch that day," said Kannangara, holding a couple of spoiled eggs in his hand, each the size of a ping-pong ball.

Kannangara has spent a lifetime protecting these gentle creatures from villagers and poachers.

"Only one out of 1,000 hatchlings survive anyway and for 20,000 eggs to be completely destroyed is an absolute crime," he added.

Over the past 25 years, Kannangara has raised one million turtles in his hatchery, built on the edge of a picturesque stretch of beach in this formerly idyllic resort town in southern Sri Lanka.

Foreign and local visitors to the area rarely leave Bentota without visiting Kannangara's hatchery.

Sea turtles are a protected species in Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean island's palm fringed southern and eastern beaches are safe nesting grounds for five of the eight known varieties of the ancient reptile, including the great leatherback.

But a large number of turtles that come ashore during nesting season are snared by local fisherman each year, who eat them and sell the shells, many of whom say they are unaware that killing a turtle is an offence punishable by a 10-year jail term.

Elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, concern has mounted over the future of the great leatherback turtles who used to nest on the sandy beaches of the Great Nicobar island in the southern stretch of the Nicobar archipelago.

"The beaches are all gone, they won't be able to nest here," said Harry Andrews, director of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team.

The nesting season would usually start in January for the turtles, which can weigh up up to 500 kgs.

Back in Bentota, there was a faint ray of hope for Kannangara.

Of 15 good eggs he has collected along the beach since the disaster, three have hatched into babies who could live up to 80-100 years.

"I hope these baby turtles will grow up and return to this same beach to nest," he said. "But I don't think I'll be alive to ensure the safety of those eggs."

(http://www.planetark.com/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=28871)

TCP information

1. Introduction The Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) come ashore to nest on the beaches of Sri Lanka. All 5 species are listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as either threatened or endangered. Despite this international legislation and local protection of marine turtles by government legislation since 1972, marine turtles are still being exploited in Sri Lanka for their eggs and their meat. Turtle nesting beaches (rookeries) are being disturbed by tourist industry development and feeding habitats, such as coral reefs, are being destroyed by pollution and unsustainable harvesting. Many turtles are accidentally caught and drowned in fishing gear each year. The highly endangered Hawksbill turtle has been hunted to the brink of extinction for its carapace to provide raw materials for the illegal "tortoiseshell" trade.

The most widespread form of marine turtle exploitation in Sri Lanka is the illegal poaching of turtle eggs for human consumption or for sale to unscientifically managed, "tourist attraction" marine turtle hatcheries. TCP surveys have revealed that for the past 20 years, almost 100% of the marine turtle nests occurring on the South and South-West coasts of Sri Lanka have been robbed of their eggs by poachers. This stretch of coastline is the location of Sri Lanka's largest marine turtle rookeries. Inevitably, TCP surveys have also revealed that marine turtle populations are in decline at all of Sri Lanka's rookeries. As a result of egg collection alone, the TCP predicts that the marine turtle populations of Sri Lanka will decline to extinction within the next 10 years if the current situation persists.

However, Sri Lanka's marine turtle populations can recover from this inevitable decline, but only if effective conservation measures are implemented immediately and carried out continuously for at least the next 20 years. In order to facilitate the necessary recruitment of hatchling turtles into the local turtle populations, as many nests as possible must be allowed to hatch naturally and the hatchlings must be allowed to make their way to the sea. Where it is not possible to protect marine turtle nests "in situ," current hatchery management must be improved and scientifically managed hatcheries should be established. Marine turtle by-catch in fishing gear must be thoroughly researched before the vital programmes for by-catch reduction can be devised. Critical habitats must be protected and population monitoring programmes must be established at the most significant rookeries. These measures will only be effective if the coastal communities of Sri Lanka are involved and informed. Coastal communities must be educated about the importance of conserving the coastal ecosystems on which they depend.

2. The Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) The TCP was established in 1993. In March 1995, the TCP registered as an independent Sri Lankan non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the Central Environmental Authority (CEA). The TCP aims to devise and facilitate the implementation of sustainable marine turtle conservation strategies through education, research and community participation. The TCP operates according to an approved constitution and is currently coordinated by a committee of 7 residents of Sri Lanka.

2.1. Staff The TCP employs a core of 3 full time staff in the Tangalle head-office. In Rekawa, near Tangalle, the TCP has established a model participatory environmental conservation programme. At the Rekawa TCP office the TCP employs 2 part-time liaison officers, 4 part time environmental education trainers and 17 marine turtle nest protectors (NP's). All these staff are Rekawa community members. An "in situ" marine turtle nest protection and research programme is managed by a full-time "in situ" nest protection programme coordinator and supervised by 5 full-time research officers, 3 of whom were recruited from the University of Peradeniya, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) and the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA). The TCP also periodically recruits international and national volunteers to assist in its various programmes for short term periods.

3. Completed TCP activities to date

* A survey of the status of Sri Lanka's commercial "tourist attraction" marine turtle hatcheries, all of which are currently operating illegally and were found to be contributing little to the conservation of Sri Lanka's marine turtle populations. The TCP has submitted the report of this survey to the relevant government authorities along with recommendations to establish a marine turtle hatchery licensing scheme. This scheme is designed to promote and monitor hatcheries that follow scientific hatchery management guidelines and close down those hatcheries that do not. The DWLC, NARA and the Ceylon Tourist Board (CTB) are now evaluating the viability of a hatchery licensing scheme proposal compiled by the TCP (report and proposal available on request).

* Surveys of the illegal tortoiseshell trade in Sri Lanka in 1994. The TCP submitted the report of this survey to the DWLC and the CTB who took action to stop this illegal and damaging trade (report available on request). In July 1996, a second TCP tortoiseshell trade survey was completed, revealing that despite government efforts to crack down on this illegal trade, it is still thriving to some extent in Sri Lanka. The report of the survey, which was submitted to the relevant authorities, recommends further and more effective action to stop this trade. A poster entitled "Turtles and corals belong to the sea!", also produced by the TCP in cooperation with the GTZ and CCD, has been printed in English and German and aims to persuade tourists not to buy tortoiseshell and coral products. Over 1,500 posters have been distributed to over 650 hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, tour operators and other tourist centres on the West and South-West coast of Sri Lanka. The posters are also on display to tourists arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport and at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Colombo Fort.

* An extensive survey of the marine turtle rookeries along the South and South-West coast between Colombo and Hambantota (funded by the British High Commission). The report of this survey will soon be published and circulated to all organisations interested in marine turtle conservation in Sri Lanka.

* The TCP carried out English language classes in Rekawa between January 1994 and 1997. The classes employed volunteer teachers from the UK and were attended by approximately 350 community children, adults and English teachers from Rekawa and the surrounding area. With these classes, the TCP aims to improve the employment prospects of participating community members in non-resource dependent jobs and therefore reduce community dependency on environmental exploitation. The classes also helped improve the communication abilities of community members who are employed in TCP research and conservation activities in Rekawa.

* TCP staff presented papers regarding the status of marine turtles in Sri Lanka and the TCP programmes at the following conferences: 1995 Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, North Carolina, USA; 1st National Conference on Herpetology Research and Conservation in Sri Lanka, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 1995; International Conference on the Biology and Conservation of the South Asian Amphibians and Reptiles, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 1996; IUCN/ssc Northern Indian Ocean Sea Turtle Workshop in Bhubaneswar, india, 1997; and the 1997 Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, Orlando, Florida, USA.

4. Ongoing national TCP programmes In June 1995 the TCP received funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) to carry out various programmes throughout 1995 and 1996. These programmes are continuing in 1997-8 with funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy.

4.1. The TCP school workshop programme and South-West coast beach survey The TCP has conducted a series of educational workshops for pupils and teachers in schools along the South-West coast (phase 1). At the lectures, pupils and teachers were invited to set up school turtle conservation groups and are invited to participate in the TCP South-West coastal beach survey (phase2). This will be a continuous survey during which volunteers will record any turtle nesting activity on their local beaches. The survey will not only allow the TCP to identify the most important beaches, but will also actively involve local children in marine turtle conservation, education and research. So far over 1,500 pupils and teachers from 130 coastal schools have participated in the educational programme. During this programme, the TCP distributed the school educational materials which were produced by the TCP in cooperation with the GTZ and the Coast Conservation Department (CCD).

15 potential school conservation groups have been identified and over 450 pupils and teachers have volunteered to participate in the South-West coast beach survey. The TCP Scientific officer in charge of this programme predicts that there will be a total of approximately 50 school conservation groups when the series of workshops has been completed at all central schools within the extended programme boundaries from Kirinda to Puttalam.

The proposed third phase of this programme, will aim at strengthening the school turtle conservation groups and encouraging them to actively participate in the design, funding and implementation of turtle conservation and awareness raising activities in their local communities. The TCP also aims to undertake an extension of this programme to include the area between Colombo and Chilaw.

4.2. "In situ" nest protection and research programme, Rekawa The TCP established a participatory "in situ" nest protection and research programme at Rekawa, a small village located on the South coast of Sri Lanka, at the beginning of September 1996. Rekawa is one of Sri Lanka's most important turtle nesting beaches, yet due to the prevailing poverty in the area, exploitation of marine turtles and their eggs continued unabated until the start of the TCP nest protection and research programme.

The marine turtle tagging and conservation programme is being carried out in cooperation with the University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka), NARA and the DWLC. The programme employs 17 former turtle egg poachers to assist TCP, DWLC, NARA and University of Peradeniya research officers in the collection of biological data and the "in situ" protection of marine turtle nests. The TCP aims to make this programme sustainable by organising turtle-sensitive, nocturnal "Turtle Watches" for fee-paying visitors. However, although this aspect of the programme has thus far proved moderately successful, the TCP predicts that this programme will probably be grant dependent until Sri Lanka's tourism industry improves to former levels.

4.3. Environmental education workshops In October 1995 the TCP launched a wide-ranging programme of environmental education workshops in the Rekawa community. In March 1996, 14 Rekawa community members graduated from an initial 6-month training programme during which they were trained in educational methods and taught about various environmental subjects relevant to their locality.

These Community Environmental Education trainers (CEET's) conducted environmental education workshops for school children and community groups in the Rekawa area. The workshops focused on the environment as a whole using techniques such as participatory resource mapping to identify conservation issues and seek sustainable solutions to problems of destructive exploitation. They have also embarked upon various projects including the establishment of a model organic garden and medicinal plant nursery, composting, mangrove replanting, bird surveys and the establishment of a local environmental newsletter. As an extension of their environmental workshops and community projects, the CEET's established Rekawa's first library which is being used by approximately 200 school pupils from the area. They are also exploring means of alternative income generation e.g. the cultivation of medicinal plants.

The TCP currently employs 4 CEET's to run the core environmental and educational programmes and library in Rekawa. 4 of the remaining CEET's left the project in early 1997 finding alternative employment, when funding for their employment by the TCP ended. The remaining 6 are awaiting the opportunity to rejoin the TCP when funding for the Rekawa Community and Turtle Conservation Income Generating Scheme and Visitor Centre programme, briefly described below, is secured.

5.Programmes planned for the future

5.1. Hatchery Licensing Scheme See above.

5.2. Marine Turtle By-Catch Survey The TCP is seeking funding to carry out a 14-month survey of marine turtle by-catch in fishing gear. The survey will be carried out at 18 sites along the West, South West and South coast of Sri Lanka. The survey will aim to provide the necessary data to formulate an action plan to reduce by-catch of marine turtles in Sri Lanka's fishing industry. A copy of this proposal is available on request.

5.3. Rekawa Community and Turtle Conservation Income Generating Scheme and Visitor Centre The aims of this project are to: · Generate sustainable development and an alternative non-exploitative source of income for the Rekawa community and TCP, based on local skills and materials, to produce turtle crafts for sale to visitors to the project and to consumers in outlying areas. · Establish a TCP visitor centre in Rekawa as: an attraction to visitors; an educational resources centre; and a sales outlet for community income generating scheme products and TCP merchandise. · Increase tourist visitation to the TCP's "Turtle Watch" programme and so provide a sustainable source of income from ticket sales and local crafts for the "In situ" nest protection and research programme, which employs 20 local people.

5.4. Usangoda Marine Turtle "In situ" Nest Protection and Research programme Usangoda is one of only 2 remaining significant Leatherback turtle nesting sites in the Indian Ocean region and was recently identified by the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group as a "special area of concern". Egg collection for sale and turtle slaughter is prevalent at Usangoda. In cooperation with the DWLC the TCP plans to establish an "in situ" community nest protection and research programme based on the successful Rekawa model.

If you require further information on the any of the above TCP programmes, please contact the TCP Leader Mr. Thushan Kapurusinghe at the above address.

TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECT (TCP)
73, Hambantota Road, Tangalle, Sri Lanka Tel/ Fax: 047 40581. E-mail:turtle@panlanka.net
(http://www.lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9807&L=cturtle&F=&S=&P=10987)