By Raquel Anais Smith
On the shores of Seybaplaya in Campeche, Mexico, a man releases hatchlings into the moonlight, making sure they successfully stumble their way into the dark surf. Expecting nothing in return, Luis Antonio Góngora Domínguez dedicates himself to the protection of the critically endangered species after he finishes his day job, his carefully organized records revealing that since 2016 he has helped around 13,450 hatchlings get to sea.
Saving the Hawksbill sea turtle – named for its unique sharp, curved beak and coveted patterned shell – is beyond the capabilities of one man, but one man’s focus and drive can also be a call to arms: over the years, this little-known project has begun to attract local and now international recognition.
The Hawksbill sea turtle, or Eretmochelys imbricata, is one of the most endangered marine animals worldwide, with only 20,000 nesting females remaining and a population decline of more than 80% in the last 100 years. They were hunted nearly to extinction for the use of their shells in jewelry and are still threatened today by the strong black market that persists even after the trade was officially outlawed in 1992.
It is well known that the most vulnerable and dangerous moments of a sea turtle’s life are within the period from egg to ocean, so their protection during this stage is a key component of sea turtle conservation. Luis focuses his work on three beaches in Seybaplaya, but each site comes with its own set of risks. Be it stone walls that increase risk of flooding the nests, artificial lighting that draws hatchlings to the road, or offshore mechanisms that could kill hatchlings only a few moments into their lives, increasing coastal development gravely threatens sea turtle habitat.
For the past five years, the local non-profit Yuumtsil Káak Náab, founded by Luis, has collaborated with Ninth Wave, a socio-environmental NGO, to promote the successful hatching of sea turtles while engaging the surrounding community. Just recently, the celebration of World Oceans Day on June 8th also marked a new partnership with the international non-profit Plastic Oceans, forming part of what is to be a new program of Blue Communities. The goal of the project is to increase the number of nests, hatchlings, and baby turtles that make it to sea, organizing members of the organizations and volunteers in the monitoring of nests, and intervening when necessary to secure or relocate eggs that are in danger, but the beating heart of the project really lies in working alongside the local community to activate a local civic custodianship of their natural landscape.
Sea turtles are vital components of marine ecosystems, and often used as indicators of the health of our oceans. As such, the conservation of Hawksbill sea turtles and other endangered or threatened turtles go far beyond the community of Seybaplaya. There is much work to be done, but the efforts of Luis present an optimistic example of how awareness and concern about marine life can start as small as a single species of turtle and grow to encompass local support, international recognition, and several other aspects of environmental conservation. Once we realize how a specific endangered species inextricably connects to the overarching health of our planet and ourselves, it becomes more imperative than ever to take a concerted action to preserve it.
Raquel Anais Smith is a freelance writer specializing in environmental features, published across a variety of international online and print media.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash