

Turtles
Turtle research and conservation
KZN Marine Stranding Network
South Africa
The KZN marine stranding network is a group of skilled and trained professionals who provide knowledge, experience and resources to assist with marine strandings along the KwaZulu-Natal coast. They include uShaka Sea World and KZN Sharks Board for dolphins, whales, sharks, seals, turtles and penguins, and CROW (Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) and SCAR for seabirds)
Kap Natirel
Guadeloupe
The Kap Natirel association was created to lead the Guadeloupe Marine Turtles Network (RTMG) as part of the Marine Turtle Restoration Plan in the French Antilles. Over the years it has become a well-established marine environment conservation organization in the region. Their focus is in particular on marine turtles, sharks and rays, and lionfish (an invasive species in the Caribbean region). They also coordinate the French Antilles Shark Network (Reguar).
Karumbe
Uruguay
Karumbe work for the conservation of biodiversity in Uruguay, focusing in particular on sea turtles and their habitats. They have several sea turtle centres. They also promote the sustainable development of fishing communities, seeking alternatives to reduce the impact of human activities on these migratory animals. The pillars of their work are: Research, Rehabilitation, Conservation and Education
Kudat Turtle Conservation Society
Malaysia
KTCS works with the local coastal communities in protecting the sea turtles, their nesting beach and foraging area. The two main species nesting in Kudat beach are the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). They aim is making Kudat coastal area a safe haven for the sea turtle population to thrive and ensure their survival through local communities participation in the protection of their habitat through active enforcement, awareness, education and research. They collaborate with other organisations such as Sabah Parks, WWF-Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Universiti Malaya, as well as local communities to protect and conserve the sea turtles. KTCS also concentrates on public awareness and education, which they believe is one of the key pillars in environmental change. Beach clean-ups, environmental awareness talks at schools and villages, as well as establishing eco-tourism activities on sea turtle conservation are just some of the ways they achieve this.
Kurma Asih Sea Turtle Conservation Center
Bali, Indonesia
Kurma Asih (‘turtle carers’) was founded in 1997, when a group of Balinese fishers from the village of Perancak in West Bali who had traditionally been turtle hunters, became aware of the endangered status of sea turtle populations. Trained by WWF in relocation and conservation methods, the Kurma Asih group began an active protection and education program involving villages along the 50 kilometer Jembrana beach in West Bali.
LAMAVE
Philippines
LAMAVE has the mission ‘to protect marine megafauna in Southeast Asia, by investing in local people, building ocean leaders, and providing science-based tools to support the sustainable management of marine resources, for the benefit of the Filipino people.’ It began in 2010 as a marine mammal research expedition in the Bohol Sea, a deep water trench in Central Visayas. Bohol Sea is a hotspot for marine megafauna, hosting not only cetaceans but also whale sharks, manta rays and turtles. The expedition developed to include the megafauna thus observed. Since those beginning LAMAVE has expanded, both in terms of their research sites and their conservation efforts. They run an internship programme for Filipino citizens, with the aim of making opportunities in marine conservation more accessible and building the skills of future local marine conservationists; they also welcome volunteers from all over the world.
LAST : Latin American Sea Turtles Association
Costa Rica
LAST Association (formerly WIDECAST-Costa Rica) is a Costa Rican group with 11 members and a directive board of 5, working together to make a change in sea turtle conservation. They are member of WIDECAST, an international scientific network with country coordinators resident in more than 40 countries and territories of the Wider Caribbean Region. With 30 years experience working with Costa Rican sea turtles, the LAST staff are experts in turtle population management, community based conservation, coastal management and volunteer assisted research. They have several projects: The Caribbean coast conservation and research program in located in Cahuita, Moin and Pacuare beaches, focuses on the nesting of leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles, while the South Pacific project is located in Osa Peninsular, focused on mangrove forests and sea grass beds, and the study of the rare Eastern Pacific hawksbill turtles. They are engaged in an ecotourism initiative, where volunteering conservation offers an alternative income to locals, reducing pressure on the turtles. They also monitor the coral reefs, train park rangers, educate local student, and also act as advisers to the government on marine environments. can programme which encourages alternative
Lamu Marine Conservation Trust
Kenya
The Lamu Marine Conservation Trust (LAMCOT) was set up in 1992 as a response to the unsustainable harvesting of turtles and their eggs in the Lamu archipelago of northern Kenya. It has maintained a focus on turtles whilst expanding its links with the local community to work for both conservation and local development.
Lang Tengah Turtle Watch
Malaysia
Lang Tengah Turtle Watch is a Malaysian turtle conservation organization with projects on Lang Tengah island, Tanjong Jara Resort, and Pulau Perhentian. Their turtle watch programme focuses on ongoing conservation efforts and long-term monitoring to better understand and conserve the nesting and in-water sea turtle populations. In addition to this, they work to preserve the coral reefs which are also habitats for sea turtles, and to educate and raise awareness among local communities, tourism operators and tourists through educational outreach programs as well as engagements in research and conservation efforts.
Local Ocean Conservation
Kenya
Initially started to protect turtles, now Local Ocean focuses on the conservation of turtles as well as mangroves and coral reefs, and educates to achieve a sustainable relationship between man and oceanwater. Turtle Watch is their flagship programme. It was started by local residents in 1997 to protect nesting sea turtles. As a marine conservation group, along with Diani Turtle Watch, Bycatch release, beach profiling and specialist Rehabilitation Centre for sick and injured sea turtles, their marine conservation, education and outreach programmes aim at ensuring the future of the marine environment including community involvement and development, and research and campaigning to promote the sustainable use of Kenya’s marine resources.
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
USA
LLPA operates one of the largest biodiversity exhibits in the United States. The aquarium holds American Zoo Association accreditation, and is both a public outreach and education program as well as a science and research body. LLPA is involved in a number of restoration projects around the world, raising funds and supporting the work involved, including Coral Rescue and the Pawikan Project, a sea turtle conservation project in the Philippines.