Turtle Conservation Projects in the Caribbean

During the months of June through to September Hawksbill Turtles nest on Franks Caye Island and they hatch from August through to December.  ReefCI are working with the Belizean Department of Fisheries to help increase the turtle populations and the survival rates of the baby turtles. 

ReefCI customers get the opportunity to work with the turtles.  During the months of June till September you could be lucky enough to witness a turtle make her way to the nesting site or from the nest back to the ocean.  They typically lay between 80 and 120 eggs. Turtle conservation projects in the Caribbean are the ideal way to contribute toward eco-tourism in the area.

Up to 120 baby turtles can hatch at one time and you can be there to help them make their way from the nest to the ocean……an incredibly moving experience watching the babies make their way into the world!

Threats to Survival: The greatest threat to hawksbill turtle is the harvesting for their shell often referred to as "tortoise shell." In some countries the shell is still used to make hair ornaments, jewellery, drums and other decorative items.  The other huge threat to their survival is that some cultures think that the eggs have an aphrodisiac quality….so they are illegally taken to sell!!!

The Hawksbill Turtle is listed as Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.  They are listed as CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) appendix 1.

Many breeding populations have already become extinct, and entire species are being wiped out. There could be a time in the near future when sea turtles are just an oddity found only in aquariums and natural history museums — unless action is taken today.