Climate Action Fiji Project #13735

Save the Oceans!

by Wildlife Conservation Society

Project Report | Feb 24, 2015
Major comeback for sea turtles in Nicaragua

By Kimberly Chua | Wildlife Conservation Society

Hawksbill sea turtle hatchling. Photo credit: WCS

From all of us at the Wildlife Conservation Society, thank you to our GlobalGiving donors for your wonderful support of our marine conservation efforts around the world.

In our latest update from the field, some great news for sea turtles: A WCS team in Nicaragua recently reported a dramatic increase in nesting of critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles including the highest nest counts since a conservation project began there in 2000. The total nest count for hawksbill turtles in the project area in Nicaragua’s Pearl Cays region has increased some 200 percent from 154 in 2000 to 468 in 2014.

Of the areas monitored, poaching rates have decreased by more than 80 percent. Poaching in 2014 was one of the lowest in project history at approximately five percent. Nest success has averaged approximately 75 percent this season, with over 35,000 hatchlings going to sea as of the end of November. Before the project began, a preliminary study of the Pearl Cays showed that almost 100 percent of nests laid were poached and most eggs were removed for human consumption.

WCS established the Hawksbill Conservation Project in 2000 to reduce poaching and create awareness. In 2010, it helped contribute to the establishment of the Pearl Cays Wildlife Refuge, which safeguards nesting, foraging, breeding and migratory areas for sea turtles, while protecting other marine species and important habitat types.

In addition to monitoring nesting success WCS scientists satellite-tagged three nesting females this year. The turtles are currently being tracked as they move northward near the Honduran border. Since 1999, WCS has captured and released nearly 3,000 sea turtles in the Pearl Cays. Staff record the date, size, and location for each sea turtle encounter as part of the tag and release program. This information can help improve the understanding of the species for informed management and development of conservation efforts in the region.

“These recent nest counts show that by working with local communities, we can save sea turtles from extinction. Communities partnering with WCS are directly involved with safeguarding their own natural resources. Without their help and commitment, this project would fail, and Nicaragua’s hawksbill turtles would be doomed.”

- Caleb McClennen, WCS Executive Director of Marine Conservation

Adult hawksbill sea turtle. Photo credit: WCS

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Jul 23, 2014
WCS Helps Safeguard Belize's Barrier Reef With Conservation Drones

By Kimberly Chua | Development Officer

Deploying a conservation drone

Thank you for your amazing support of the Wildlife Conservation Society's efforts to save our oceans! Some great conservation news from Belize:

Seeking to gain a high-tech edge over illegal fishers, the Government of Belize will use “eyes in the sky” to enforce fishing regulations in the biodiverse Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve and other reef systems in what is the first use of conservation drones to monitor marine protected areas.

With technical assistance from WCS, the Belize Fisheries Department initiated a new monitoring program using unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e. conservation drones) to curtail unsustainable levels of illegal fishing. Besides coastal development, unregulated and unreported fishing are some of the largest threats to Belize’s fishing industry.

Conservation drones also are being used for wildlife monitoring and for support in the enforcement of terrestrial protected areas. The unmanned aerial vehicles can fly autonomously for over an hour at a time with a range of more than 50 kilometers, and are capable of taking high-resolution photographs and video.

Program participants from WCS, the Belize Fisheries Department, and Conservation Drones.org fully implemented the drone program in early June, following testing that began last July. The drones will enable government officials to remotely locate fishing vessels illegally operating in marine protected areas or in areas with seasonal closures. Once located, patrol vessels can conduct seagoing searches more efficiently.

Drones will also allow government officials to monitor for illegal activities in coastal areas, which are often hidden from view by mangrove forests. Fishers have been known to hide illegal conch catches in these coastal forests.

“This exciting new enforcement tool will help the government and local communities protect their most valuable assets—the fisheries and coral reefs of Belize’s coastal waters,” said Dr. Caleb McClennen, Executive Director of WCS Marine Conservation. “The world’s oceans are in dire need of low cost innovations for improving the cost efficiency and effectiveness of enforcement efforts. This represents an exciting pilot program for Belize, the wider Caribbean, and nearshore marine parks and fisheries around the world.”

Photo credit: Julio Maaz/WCS

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Feb 25, 2014
Indonesia Protects Manta Rays

By Kimberly Chua | Wildlife Conservation Society

Photo credit: Rachel Graham/WCS

From all of us at the Wildlife Conservation Society, thank you for your support of our marine conservation efforts!

Some good news to report: the Government of Indonesia has taken a major step to protect the world’s largest ray species, the giant and reef manta rays. Both are now considered protected species under Indonesian law, with fishing and trade prohibited.

In 2013, the two species were included in the list of species regulated under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). In order to preserve these animals, all 178 CITES countries will have to implement laws and regulations to protect the rays, as well as certain species of sharks. “By fully protecting these fishes, the Government of Indonesia has demonstrated its commitment to these new CITES rules while offering real hope for these species’ future in Indonesia and beyond,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell, Director of WCS’s Indonesian Marine Conservation and Fisheries Program.

Among the world’s largest fishes, manta rays have “wingspans” that can exceed seven meters. They are long-lived, reaching ages of 20-30 years, mature late, and typically give birth to a single pup every two years after a one-year gestation period. They are among the least productive of fishes and, thus, exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing.

Although manta rays have faced pressures from the commercial fishing industry in Indonesia, they are far more important economically to the country’s dive tourism industry. Recent reviews of the tourism value of manta rays have provided irrefutable evidence that these animals are worth far more alive than dead, with a single animal estimated to generate from $100,000 to as much as $1.9 million in dive tourism revenue over its lifetime, as compared with as little as $200 paid for a dead manta at a fish landing site.

“Manta rays are a huge draw for divers seeking out wildlife encounters along Indonesia’s coasts as well as in other parts of the world, such as the Maldives, the Philippines, and Mozambique,” said Dr. Caleb McClennen, Director of WCS’s Marine Program. “We expect that other governments will now follow Indonesia’s lead by capitalizing on the non-extractive value of these fishes and conserving them as a renewable resource for the future.”

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