The Pearl Protectors’ Post

For the fourth year, the Turtle Patrollers are ready! We successfully completed the training sessions for all volunteers who will be participating in this year's Turtle Patrol along the western coast of Colombo. As the turtle nesting season starts, many sea turtles will be arriving on the beaches of Colombo to nest. Colombo is considered the only capital city in the world where sea turtles congest in large numbers to nest. Along with the turtles are poachers ready to steal sea turtle eggs for trade and consumption. Additionally, coastal pollution, light & sound pollution, temperature warming, erosion and coastal infrastructure has posed a larger threat to sea turtles arriving to nest in this urban beach. 140 Turtle Patrolling volunteers will act as a deterrent against any poaching and other challenges the sea turtles will be facing when they arrive to nest. The ex-situ conservation efforts will be carried out till the end of the sea turtle nesting season to support the SL Coast Guard conservation efforts in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Previous year, over 14,000 sea turtle eggs were protected and conserved through the Turtle Patrol. All Turtle Patrol volunteers have received 3 separate module training on the conservation practices #TurtlePatrol #TurtlePatrol25 #seaturtlenesting #Colombo #SriLanka #dwc #slcg #exsitu #seaturtle #turtle #ocean #beach #volunteer #pearlprotectors #dehiwala #mountlavinia #conservation #marineconservation