Sea turtles are living dinosaurs, an artifact of the Jurassic Period whose continued survival proves a winning evolutionary design. Although they survived the catastrophe that killed of most animals on earth around 65 million years ago, they are now threatened with extinction due to human activity. To combat this issue, Conservation Diver works in several countries to study, protect, and restore sea turtle populations. One such program is the “Operation Jairo Campaign” in Nicaragua, which is being led by the international ocean conservation group, Sea Shepard.
This program helps to rescue eggs, hatchlings, and juvenile sea turtles from both human consumption and natural threats. We first began focusing on turtle protection in Nicaragua in 2016 through the group Sea Turtle Rescue, educating local community members and taking small local actions for their protection. In 2018, we joined with Sea Shepard on the Operation Jairo Campaign, providing local support and volunteers.
Over the next few months, we will be expanding our impact in this program, bringing in more volunteers and increasing the awareness and capacity of local stakeholders. Through a combination of positive outreach, local collaborations, and direct action we hope to greatly improve the conservation status of sea turtles in the country, and help to protect this vital sea turtle hotspot. Stay tuned to learn more about opportunities to get involved, or to participate in our Sea Turtle Ecology Head-starting Certification courses.
Project FAQs
Location: Los Zorros, Nicuragua
Partners: Sea Shepard, Sea Turtle Rescue, Conservation Diver, Azul Conservation (Marine Conservation Nicaragua)
Website/social Links:
https://m.facebook.com/OperationJairo/
https://www.facebook.com/seaturtle.rescue/
https://www.facebook.com/MarineConservationNicaragua/
Contact: George Bevan, George@ConservationDiver.com
