SEA TURTLES
We act to understand, care for and protect the sea turtles of French Polynesia.
THE SEA TURTLE REHABILITATION CENTER
MISSION
Collect sick, injured and maimed sea turtles as well as the one seized by the authorities
Authorized by the Direction of the Environment of French Polynesia (DIREN)
OBJECTIVE
Provide medical supervision and rehabilitation treatments to later release them into the wild
KEY FIGURES
- More than 650 sea turtles cared for
- 4 species represented: green sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle
- 59% of sea turtles arriving at the Rehabilitation center are wounded, mainly due to human interaction (speargun hunting, fishing nets, etc.)
- Release ratio of about 50% depending on the age of the sea turtle
Partners:
THE SEA TURTLE REHABILITATION CENTER IN PICTURES
MONITORING OF GREEN SEA TURTLES NESTING SITES ON THE ATOLL OF TETIAROA
MISSION
Annual scientific monitoring of green sea turtles nesting on the atoll of Tetiaroa and follow-up of environmental factors
Authorized by the Direction of the Environment of French Polynesia (DIREN)
OBJECTIVE
The monitoring includes:
- The collection of crucial data on nesting females
- The protection of hatchlings following hatchings
- The analysis of the environmental parameters influencing the hatching success rate
- The implementation of actions to educate visitors and schoolchildren
KEY FIGURES
- Since 2007, 16,658 km covered by the teams of Te mana o te moana to monitor nesting sites
- Over 6,308 traces of emerging sea turtles inventoried with about 3,400 nests containing eggs confirmed
- Estimate of more than 332,264 eggs laid in total
- More than 3,062 stuck emerging sea turtles were freed and released in the ocean
Partners
MONITORING OF NESTING SITES IN PICTURES
PHOTO-IDENTIFICATION OF SEA TURTLES
MISSION
Collect data on the sea turtles in French Polynesia through photo-identification using the TORSOOI protocol
OBJECTIVE
Identify the sea turtles present in the Polynesian waters to better understand the status of the population and their behaviors in the long term
KEY FIGURES
- Over 800 sea turtles inventoried in the water of French Polynesia: turtles from the Care center, turtles identified through our participatory science program and turtles inventoried on Tetiaroa during green sea turtles nesting seasons
- Hundreds of miles of reef covered
- Thanks to the photo-identification method, data on the movement of the sea turtles of French Polynesia were gathered
OTHER SEA TURTLES PROJECTS
SATELLITE MONITORING
Installation of satellite tags on sea turtles to monitor their journeys and understand their distribution and migration
* Program conducted by the Direction of the Environment of French Polynesia (DIREN)
MANTA-TOW COUNTING
Offshore inventory of sea turtles around the reefs of our islands using an observation method made by biologists towed by a boat
EVENTS ON SEA TURTLES
- International Symposium on sea turtles organized by Te mana o te moana
- Conference on sea turtles and nesting sites monitoring organized within the Sea turtle care center
- Participation to international conferences on sea turtles
