Wildlife Conservation Indonesia Project #53173

Save the Gili Turtles & Help to Build a Hatchery

by Yayasan Ekosistem Gili Indah (Gili Eco Trust)

Save the Gili Turtles & Help to Build a Hatchery

Summary

Gili Islands are famous for year-round experiences with endangered Green and Hawksbill turtles. We aim to create a safe haven for turtle nests that currently are under threat from poaching, trampling, storm surges and pollution, with a simple hatchery on the beach for protected incubation before immediate release to the ocean. Educating, retraining & recruiting poachers to become Turtle Rangers to track down and relocate eggs will provide a sustainable salary and boost eco-tourism in the Gilis.

$20,000
total goal

$9,698
remaining

75
donors

4
monthly donors

11
months

Challenge

Gili Trawangan is developing rapidly and unsustainably. Turtles are running out of safe places to nest as irresponsible development on the beach obstructs nesting behaviour. Poachers have turned to hunt turtle eggs since the tourism industry collapsed leaving more than 3,000 unemployed. Pollution from tourism and mismanaged village waste threatens nesting and hatching. This project will save up to 4,800 eggs every year, threatened by over-tourism, development and turtle head-starting programs.

Solution

A hatchery beach will create a protected, controlled space to incubate eggs. This will increase hatchling success rates and offer immediate release to the ocean. By recruiting poachers to become rangers to relocate at-risk eggs to the hatchery, the project will provide an alternative and sustainable income. Turtle eggs will be monitored 24 hours a day and rangers will share expertise with the local community, holding workshops & turtle releases to inspire more stewards of endangered turtles.

Long-Term Impact

This project will bring sustained employment to a team of 6 local Turtle Rangers to educate and collaborate with the local community to help locate and protect more nests. We intend to sustain the local population of Gili turtles and see an increase in nesting females for future generations. It will save more than 4,800 eggs per season with the potential in future to cover all 3 Gili islands with forthcoming hatchery expansion. We hope to boost the struggling economy with more turtle tourism.