Support Saving of the Green Turtle From Poachers

Support Saving of the Green Turtle From Poachers

Support Saving of the Green Turtle From Poachers. They need your help or else they are at risk of getting extinct. Being one of the largest turtles, they are easily targeted by the poachers. They have already been listed as endangered species.

The Green Turtles

They are herbivores that travel long distances between their feeding ground and hatching beaches. Just like other turtles, they are attracted to clean beaches when preparing to lay their eggs.

Their search for a suitable hitching spot leads them to human settlements. Where they are vulnerable to poachers. The poachers know how to target these spots and, manage to smuggle both the turtles and their eggs.

This has led to a drastic decrease in their populations, hence ending up in the endangered species list. This means that if nothing is done to curb their poaching, they will get extinct.

There’s a team that is working towards curbing this in Mombasa

Fazeela and Tiju are wildlife volunteers who have been working in Tsavo, Lamu as well as Mombasa. They have been working in protecting buffaloes, hippopotamus, and turtles.

In Lamu, they were successful in helping the local community to embrace the importance of hippos. Thus resolving the existing bad blood between the hippos and the community. The hippos had frequently destroyed farms within the community. But now they co-exist in peace. And the community now take part in protecting their hippos.

Unfortunately, in Mombasa, approximately two turtles lose their lives to poaching on a daily basis. To satisfy the demand for their meat and shell at the black market.

Since the green turtles’ build their nest near human settlements, they are easily spotted by the poachers. They can also be found near the Mombasa Marine Park. And are found in hundreds. Which should not fool you that they have numbers. They don’t, and they need to be protected.

Sometimes, the nests need to be relocated to safer places. Which is done by the trained personnel.

The rangers at the Mombasa Marine Park helps with both foot and boat patrols. Where they are joined by the community scouts and volunteers, like Fazeela and Tiju.

The foot patrols help to record the green turtle nests, any poaching activities and noting places that need to be cleaned up.

By teaming up with the Kenya Wildlife Service, the community has been able to offer important insights in curbing green turtle poaching. It was evident that the community knew very little about the green turtles.

The community can now be able to alert the KWS rangers of any poaching activities. As well as identify the meeting areas and record the same for monitoring purposes. They have been a great help to the green turtles.

Apart from poaching, plastic pollution, habitat destruction, poor waste management and use of wrong fishing gears. Have been some of the threats facing this wildlife.

They end up trapping their heads in plastic bags, suffocating death. Or consuming plastics, and eventually dying since plastics can’t be digested. The straws ending up in their nostrils.

They also end up in fishing nets, where they get trapped and sold to the poachers. Getting hurt by the fishing hooks during fishing.

Challenges facing Curbing of Green Turtle Poaching

Inadequate awareness among the local communities. Just like other wildlife in Kenya. A big number of turtle interacts with humans in their settlements. making them easy targets. Those who are yet to sensitized about them, may not offer help when poaching is in progress. There’s still need to ensure that the local community is educated and onboard in protecting their heritage.

Weak law enforcement. The poachers may be arrested, but still, have a way to escape the punishment once the issue is handed to the courts. We are yet to see, a strong ruling and fighting of wildlife in our courts.

Inadequate funds and resources. The community scouts and volunteers have to dig deep into their pockets so as to successfully better the situation. There’s a need for fuel for boat patrol, transportation of volunteers to the places that need cleaning, monitoring of the nests, among other needs.

How can you be of help to these green turtles?

Fazeela and Tiju have campaign link that you can follow and donate to the good cause.

Let’s show some green turtle love 🐢🐢❤️️❤️️❤️️ by following this link:

https://www.gofundme.com/cq28h7-saving-green-turtles&rcid=r01-155670887081-db01ca4c6e754a4e&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w