– Donors helping turtle conservation efforts in Guyana
The Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS) has expressed thanks to conservation agencies World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Sol Guyana and the Eerepami Foundation for the donation of vital funds to support this year’s marine turtle nesting season.
GMTCS Country Coordinator Romeo De Freitas spoke of his appreciation for the provision these agencies have provided in 2010 and in the past, without which conservation efforts for four of the world’s seven species of marine turtle that nest in Guyana would be impossible.
Six of the seven species of marine turtle are listed as endangered or critically endangered and all are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prohibiting international trade in turtles and turtle products.
The WWF has provided US$33,000 that will be used to monitor nesting activities , and has been a committed donor to the project for the last 11 years. Funding education events such as Marine Turtle Fun Day in 2008, an endangered species camp last year and an exchange programme for GMTCS wardens and rangers with a similar project in Suriname, are just some of the ways that the WWF has contributed in past.
Sol Guyana has pledged to provide GMTCS with 30 barrels of gasoline worth over $1M.
SOL and has been contributing since the early 1990s. The fuel is essential to the success of the project and is used for monitoring a number of nesting beaches along the North West coast and conduct sea patrols.
In addition, the fuel has allowed students living in local fishing communities to participate in environmental classes and observe the nesting turtles over the last 20 years.
In his statement, De Freitas also said the GMTCS has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Eerepami Foundation, who has committed to contributing US$3,500 for the employment of two additional wardens for the coming nesting season, two tents for the field stations, six solar panels, and sponsorship for a warden to attend the Annual WIDECAST Regional meeting held in Martinique.
Protecting and monitoring nesting beaches, alongside increasing awareness and education regarding marine turtles, are all crucially important to the success of marine turtle conservation.