The Sea Turtle project has been working for 15 years (1996-2012) on Phra Thong, Ra and Kho Khao islands.
The project is currently conducted in collaboration with the Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC).
Since we started the project, we had a good response from the local community, who was unfortunately badly hit by the tsunami. A regular monitoring programme of the nesting beaches and protection of all nests laid was set up in 1996. In addition, injured juveniles turtles are rescued and safely released or sent to Phuket rescue center.
Since the tsunami, the project was interrupted for a season (2004 –05) and started again in January 2006 with a team working on conservation and education based at Lion Village.
Objective and scope
- Evaluation of the status of the nesting and foraging population;
- Applied research on marine turtle populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring;
- Protect nesting females and eggs on important nesting beaches;
- Evaluate the interaction between artisan fisheries and sea turtles
- Strengthening of local capacity to implement conservation programs on nesting beaches;
- Increase the knowledge about biology and conservation of marine turtles in the area and to increase the chance of survival of this endangered species involving the local community and by protecting their habitats (beach and sea);
- Establish a positive-sustainable relationships between tourism and marine turtle conservation;
- Conservation education and community outreach for the protection of nesting and near shore foraging populations;
- Train foreign and Thai volunteers and students on fieldwork techniques;
Project leader: Monica Aureggi
Project partners: Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC)
Read more: project background
Volunteer: Sea turtle conservation project in Thailand
Visit the project: Family short breaks
