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Diani conversationists plan festival to protect endangered sea turtles

A piece of art submitted on May 3, 2024, amid preparation for the 6th Annual Sea Turtle Festibval in Diani, Kwale County. (Photo: Mishi Gongo)

By Mishi Gongo | 04 May 2024

This comes days after the Diani Turtle Watch, a conservation group in the area, raised concerns over the continued killing of sea turtles.

In a bid to protect endangered turtles from extinction, environmental conservationists in Diani, Kwale County, have started preparing for a festival aimed at creating awareness of the importance of protecting marine life.

This comes days after the Diani Turtle Watch, a conservation group in the area, raised concerns over the continued killing of sea turtles.

Thus far, preparations for the 6th Annual Sea Turtle Festival, set for June 16, have seen its organisers announce the schedule and open applications for art entries from participating individuals.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, event chair Dampsey Mai said they aim to educate locals, especially children, on the crucial role marine life plays. They want to involve school children and local conservation groups.

"The purpose of this event is to educate attendees about sea turtle threats and the importance of the coastal habitats they and many other species call home," Mai said, adding that lessons will take the form of practicals and fun activities.

She noted the importance of sensitising locals, as they are the ones who destroy the environment for lack of knowledge.

"We believe that if given the right information, the locals will champion the fight to protect marine life, which is currently under threat. We have also included children because they are the future leaders."

Mai said the event will include talks on plastic pollution, a beach cleanup, and the display of art pieces carrying various messages.

The organisers hope to attack more than the 1,000 participants, most of them schoolchildren, who signed up for the event in 2019.

Turtles hold significant economic, ecological and social values for humanity, but due to the high demand for commercialised products, they have been classified as 'Critically Endangered' marine species by the World Conservation Union.

They are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with the loggerhead, leatherback and olive ridley classified as vulnerable, the green as endangered and the hawksbill as critically endangered. According to reports by the IUCN, the turtle population has declined by 80 per cent over the past 20 years.

Last week, the Diani Turtle Watch called on the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to come up with strict laws to protect the endangered animal. Its appeal came a day after a nesting turtle was brutally slaughtered for meat.

Many are killed for food and products that are sold on the black market on the southern coast of Kenya, and activities like water sports and hunting are major causes of the decline in their numbers in Diani.