For residents of Jolly Harbour they may have had the pleasure of seeing part of the Sea Shepherd fleet docked in Jolly Harbour. What many may not have known is why the vessel was here in Antigua. The answer is turtles!
We were lucky enough to get a tour of the vessel, meet the crew, and hear more about the surveys and conservation patrols of key sea turtle nesting sites in Antigua and Barbuda.
The below text is takt from https://seashepherd.org/campaigns/jairo/
Protecting Endangered Sea Turtles Along the Shores of Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda.
Sea Turtles are some of the oldest living creatures on earth, having shared the earth with the dinosaurs. The oceans are in peril and all sea creatures need our help. Of the seven species of sea turtles, six are currently on the red list of endangered species.
Operation Jairo is in its third season and honors the life and work of Jairo Mora Sandoval, who lived and died protecting sea turtles from poachers.
Due to a number of threats, there has been an alarming decline in sea turtle populations around the world. All seven species of marine turtles are currently listed as threatened or endangered. Sea turtles have called our oceans “home,” for over 500 million years.
Sea Shepherd is partnering with researchers from the Antigua Sea Turtle Project (ASTP) to conduct surveys and conservation patrols of key sea turtle nesting sites in Antigua and Barbuda.
The remote beaches provide nesting grounds for three species of endangered marine turtles, including the hawksbill, green and leatherback. All species face significant threats including poaching of nesting adults and eggs, sand mining, by-catch in artisanal fisheries, and coastal development.
