Facial recognition software is being used to track turtle movements in the Cook Islands. The citizen science turtle monitoring project has been up and running for a year now, launched in 2023 by Te Ipukarea society to involve the community in conservation efforts.
A campaign is underway in Easter Island to raise awareness about the vulnerability of sea turtles that inhabit the island and its waters.
This manual is not a summary of all that is known about sea turtles. There are already very good books and resources that do that. It is also not exhaustive about research and monitoring. Nor it is the global synthesis of all turtle research options. Advanced research into breathing rates and blood plasma and stable isotopes and hearing and endocrinology are a bit out of our scope. Here, we will deal with the basics that inform conservation and management.
The findings summarise the status of sea turtles in Vanuatu, including turtle research, monitoring and knowledge management approaches, ni-Vanuatu cultural values, threats to sea turtles, and government and customary management systems.
Humanity is quickly crossing critical planetary boundaries that threaten sea turtle populations, their ecosystems and, ultimately, the “safe operating space” for human existence.
Solomon Islands, a country with one of the world’s most extensive shorelines, has taken a step towards conserving the nesting beaches and protection of Pacific leatherback sea turtles.
The conservation status, ecology, and cultural importance of sea turtles at the three Polynesian atolls of Tokelau are presented. The green turtle, Chelonia mydas. is the most common species, occurring as a migrant breeder mostly during September through November. The hawks- bill, Eretmochelvs imbricata. is present in small numbers at all three atolls, but nesting is only known at Nukunonu Atoll. A third species, the loggerhead, Caretta caretta. has also been recorded on rare occasions.
Cook Islands Turtle Conservation Society (Te Ara O Te Onu) is calling on local fishermen to check their net at least every four hours when they are out fishing.