Airline Ambassadors conservation project supports small scale sea turtle egg hatcheries in El Salvador. Individual fisherman demonstrate that successful sea turtle hatching and release sustains their livelihoods more than collecting eggs for restaurants. We create local ownership of the resource while ensuring sustainable outcomes. Donors can visit all phases of the project. See LINK https://airlineamb.org/turtle-cons

Challenge

An illegal egg trade, deficiencies of local environmental education and a lack of popular integration into global conservation networks enhance a continued path to extinction for sea turtles. Larger scale hatchery and conservation efforts are expensive to maintain and have had mediocre success (see declining turtle populations). Although singular community projects have certain success, many like minded individuals are left out of conservation projects that turn political.

Long-Term Impact

Sea turtles are a keystone species which an ecosystem depends on to maintain a proper biological balance. They help maintain biodiversity, improve nutrient-cycling processes, and provide food for ocean fauna. Sea turtles are also a keystone species for tourism which generates local income that displaces non-sustainable conservation practices, such as egg collecting. By protecting sea turtles, we can improve attitudes about all environments vital to life in El Salvador.

References

1. http://www.airlineamb.org
2. https://airlineamb.org/turtle-conservation/
3. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barra_de_Santiago
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVa0-hT--sM

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