Project -04 EX-situ conservation practice on Sea Turtles with proper scientific practice and Research (on going)

From 2015 February

                               A Baby hatchling came out from a nest to sea the light of the life

     I was preparing an artificial nest for

       reburial of the Olive ridley sea turtle eggs safely.

(with temprature data loggers to mesure the nest temperatures)

                                                                 Released Hatchlings

Sea Turtle populations are risked at all stages of their lives, both from natural and human pressures and all species of sea turtle are globally endangered. In southern western coasts of Sri Lanka a high number of sea turtle nesting is occur thorough out the year. But unfortunately, Eggs are still eaten or sold by the local communities in some nesting areas.

In order to prevent this circumstance and to conserve the sea turtles, several hatcheries are opened in the coasts and are been maintained by locals without any scientific guidance. So, their contribution towards conservation of sea turtles is highly debated. This project is involved with several research objectives which will finally contribute the scientific community on sea turtle conservation biology and also to educate the hatchery people with a proper scientific knowledge.

Only a scientifically managed hatchery can effectively recoup the vast number of these endangered sea turtles' eggs and hatchlings that would otherwise be lost to poachers and natural cases such as erosion.

This research project is supervised by Prof. Rupika Rajakaruna, Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya and practiced in 'Sea turtle Project', Bentota, Sri Lanka.

We appriciate the financial assistance  given by the Research Grant of University of Peradeniya. (RG/2014/40/S)