Thirteen years of sea turtle conservation in South Thailand: are we avoiding extinction?

Abstract

The island of Phra Thong located in Phang-Nga province, South Thailand, was chosen as base for the Sea Turtle Conservation Project (STCP) because of its central geographical position along the Andaman Sea coast. The STCP started in 1996 in collaboration with the Phuket Marine Biological Center and focused on two different aspects: 1. scientific research and conservation; 2. educational program in the local schools and raising awareness amongst tourists. 1. Data collected over 13 years of activities of the STCP about the reproductive biology of sea turtles (olive ridley, leatherback and green turtle) shows a stable trend compared to the drastic decline recorded in the previous decade. The 2004 tsunami resulted in many changes that probably affected the nesting behavior in the area, to the extent that sea turtles have changed their preference of nesting sites on the island. Conservation strategies to preserve the species, such as egg relocation, are successfully applied as are community involvement and awareness. The average hatchling success of olive ridley ranged between 71 and 95%. 2. The STCP is now based within a small local community, where an environmental education center is set up. Although one of the main threats, egg poaching, has nearly been eliminated through education activities in the local communities, there is still a need to decrease the threats from fishing activities and tourism development. A study on the possible impact of artisanal fisheries showed that squid cages can easily catch juvenile sea turtles.