Sea turtle sanctuary Nungwi

 

All species of sea turtles are endangered. The main threats include pollution and human pressure into the natural habitats of the turtles  which include coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangrove forests and beaches where the turtles lay their eggs. Further threats include accidental fishing and poaching of turtles and their eggs for human consumption and through animals such as foxes, dogs, hogs and iguanas.

 

Five of the world's seven species of sea turtles can be found in Tanzania: Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and leatherback turtle  (Dermochelys coriacea), which are both critically endangered, as well as Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea),,which are all endangered.

 

Sea turtles have a long life and it takes long until they are fully grown. This makes them particularly vulnerable for human intervention during all phases of their life. The condition of sea turtle populations in the Indian Ocean has been recorded for the first time in the mid 70's. Following research has shown that population sizes have constantly decreased. Around 85% of all sea turtle deaths are caused by human intervention such as poaching for turtle meat, eggs, shelves and fins, or bycatch. 

   

Also in Tanzania poaching for sea turtle meat and eggs is common. Construction activity and the use of coasts and beaches for tourism is generally not taking sea turtle territories into consideration. Gllnets and trawling nets for fishing are deadly traps for sea turtles. In 2001, Tanzania signed the Conservation & Management Plan (CMP) as appendix to the „Memorandum of Unterstanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (IOSEA)" and obliged itself to implement the activities which are specified in the Conservation & Management Plan. As a result, the „National Turtle Conservation Committee“ (TTCC) was founded, under which the "Mnarani Marine Turtles Conservation Aquarium" in Nungwi, at the northernmost tip of Zanzibar, is operating as a sanctuary.

 

In a large natural lagoon and in several smaller pools sea turtles are being raised. Those turtles have either been found with injuries or they have been hatched from eggs which have been collected on beaches where due to human pressure their survival is at risk. The eggs are being incubated inside the protected area of the sanctuary and the young turtles are being hatched and then released to the open sea once they reach a certain size.