Protecting Baby Turtles

October 2017

Interview With: Neioo Wambua

On October 7th 2017, during a site inspection visit to Afro Chic Boutique Hotel in Diani, I was extremely lucky to witness a turtle hatching. Afro Chic Hotel along with The Maji are a couple of the sites for protected turtle nests.

Neioo Wambua

Volunteer Diani Turtle Watch Program

Experience: 5 Years

What made you decide to volunteer with the Diani Turtle Watch Program?

One day when I was walking on the beach and I found people digging in the sand, I found that they were digging for the turtle eggs so they could eat them.

When a turtle mother lays eggs, she lays many of them and for some people these eggs are an easy meal, but turtles are endangered. They are vulnerable to the fish in the sea, bird and crabs who eat them. Out of 100 eggs that hatch, 10 may survive to adult hood.
With all of these factors, I decided to volunteer my time to protect the turtles as much as I can from people, the birds and crabs when they are hatching, once they are in the ocean I have done all I can.

I want to help save the species otherwise next time we will not see turtles.

Tell me a bit more about the Turtles laying their eggs.

The turtles that come and lay their eggs in this area are Green Turtles. When a mother turtle is ready to lay her eggs, she does so three times, each time after two weeks. The turtle eggs incubate for about 60 days, but this varies, as you have seen the turtles that just hatched incubated for 51 days. These creatures are very unique, when they hatch, as the baby female turtles leave the nest they create a memory, and it is when they are adults and ready to lay their own eggs, they come back to the same area to lay their own eggs. Male turtles will not come back.

How do you know when a mother turtle has laid eggs?

When the mother turtle comes, she leaves tracks on the beach. In the mornings when I do my patrols, I see the tracks on the beach. From there I look for a large pile of sand, this is usually where the mother turtle has laid her eggs. Very carefully I check in that area for the eggs.

So what do you do when you find the nest?

When I find the nest, I take exact measurements of the nest, measuring the area of the top eggs, the bottom eggs and the chamber and then recreate the nest in a protected area.

How do you move the eggs?

I carefully take the eggs out, making sure to wear gloves and handle the eggs very carefully, making sure not to turn them over or around, I really try to keep them the same way as I have found them. I put them carefully in a bucket to carry them to the protected area. I also take the sand from the nest that the mother turtle has made, we want to really try to keep the same conditions as the original nest.

Why do you need to relocate the turtle nest?

We need to relocate the nests for the maximum survival of the turtles. People find the eggs an easy meal and if the nests are not protected people will start to eat them. We work with hotels that are also keen to protect the species and they have given space, which we have protected for these turtles.

How have you progressed since you started?

In 2013 when I began volunteering I protected 10 nests, in 2014 I improved and protected 36 nests. Now in 2017 I have 59 nests that I protect.

The Diani Turtle Watch is part of the Land and Life Foundation, to find out more about the foundation and the great work they are doing and how you can help, please click on the link https://landandlife.foundation/.

Interview by Phera Jai

Protecting Baby Turtles