25 years of protection for sea turtles

Protected legally in Guadeloupe since November 1991 - when they still appeared on the menu in numerous restaurants - sea turtles were in the spotlight during the 25th anniversary celebration of this protective order, which is in effect in all the French Caribbean islands.

In Saint Martin, on October 19, at The Sandy Ground Cultural Centre, the Réserve Naturelle invited the population to «Kozé Toti,» a conference led by Julien Chalifour, head of the Réserve’s scientific department, and Sophie Bedel, from ONCFS Guadeloupe (National Office For Hunting and Wildlife). Students were not excluded from the events: on October 18-21, three representatives met with 6th and 7th grade students from the Mont des Accords middle school, first in their classrooms, then for two field trips on the beach in Galion. These youngsters learned all about the season in which different species of marine turtles lay their eggs and the importance of protecting their nests. The problems in protecting the sites where the eggs are laid were explained to the students: too much light, parking of vehicles, construction that can prevent the turtles from returning to lay their eggs. These field trips concluded with a beach cleaning exercise and collecting of mangrove seeds. These seeds, currently germinating at the Maison de la Réserve Naturelle, will be replanted along the salt ponds on the island, where certain mangroves have suffered from the consequences of El Nino in 2015.