Sustainable egg harvesting and community engagement in protecting Olive Ridley Turtles

(Lepidochelys olivacea) in Guatemala.

Alejandro Morales DVMCentro de Rescate y Rehabilitación

ARCAS - PETEN

GUATEMALA• MEGA DIVERSE - Mesoamerican Hotspot 7%

known biodiversity

• 29.4% of the country in some category of protection.

• Key biodiversity area: Mayan Biosphere Reserve 2.1 Million Hectares

• 17,000 Hectares of mangrove forests on both coasts.

• High rates of endemism

• Multilingual, pluriethnic, pluricultural.

ARCAS

•Legally founded in 1989 (same year as all national parks in Guatemala). ALL FOUNDERS ARE GUATEMALAN.

•Objective: The conservation of Guatemala wildlife via wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, environmental education, research, protected areas management and sustainable community development

•One goal: Conservation of our fauna by means of rescue and rehabilitation.

•Rescue Center established in 1991

•Assumed administration of Park Hawaii and turtle hatchery in 1994.

• Most productive Sea turtle hatchery in the country (up to 33% of national collection)

• 2000, Largest Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Mesoamerica

•Main source of funding: Volunteer program established in 1991, currently over 350 volunteers a year.

Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Sea Turtle Conservation

Community engagement and inclusion for sustainable harvesting

• An informal arrangement initiated in the 1980s allows locals to collect sea turtle eggs as long as they donated one dozen per nest to a registered hatchery.

• The central government lacks the resources to enforce the donation system. A voluntary, community-based system. Participation of the private sector in hatchery management, including educational institutions, hotels, business associations and NGOs.

• Governmental resolution 1.12.2012, local egg collectors are allowed to harvest olive ridley nests as long as they donate 20% of each nest to a local hatchery.

• All other species are off limits.

• Used to have a “buy a nest” program

• Irregular hatching

• Old eggs

• Confrontation with locals, not as close relationship as it could be

• Lack of community engagement and awareness

Parlama Rally

• Every year

• Each kid is bound for 96 eggs minimum

• Road trip for all that participate

• Community projects and educational activities build support in local communities for conservation activities

• Identify and train future local conservationists

Food for eggs – 2013/2014

• No more monetary exchange, but food baskets.

• Hatching and collection rates improved

• Insure that best practices are used in egg handling

• Approximate $15 invested per nest.

201348,319 eggs, 89% hatching

53%41%

5%

SponsoredDonatedFound

Community Engagement

• Community came to us to get information and learn and help

• All ages, not only youngsters

• Engage locals in sea turtle conservation

• Income generation

201451, 897 eggs, 90.22% hatching

54%39%

7%

SponsoredDonatedFound

Community guides

• Lead volunteers at night

• Collect eggs almost every night

• Employment creation

• Low cost, high results

• Interaction with volunteers

• Security

Growing Closer to the Community and

conserving the sea turtles TOGETHER

Sustainable community development

In addition to conservation activities, ARCAS also carries out sustainable

community development and environmental education activities,

helping local communities meet their basic human needs while also

conserving local natural resources

TO GIVE OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS A CHANCE OF

SEEING WHAT WE HAVE SEEN.

WWW.ARCASGUATEMALA.ORG