In Africa Green, loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback, and olive ridley turtles can all be found in Kenyan seas. The hawksbill and green turtles are the most commonly seen off the beaches of Tiwi and Diani, south of Mombasa.
They are harvested for their meat, shells, and oil by commercial companies or locals. They are sometimes mistakenly grabbed by fishermen, and their habitats are diminishing.
The youngsters hatch two months after the turtles lay their eggs. Tiwi Turtle Police conservationists excavate the nest a few days after the chicks hatch to determine how many babies hatched, how many did not, and why.
Because to the weight of the eggs, the egg shells, or the sand composition, a few newborn turtles are occasionally left within the nest.
Environmentalists assist them in crawling out of the nest and into the sea, enhancing their chances of survival. Leah Mainye is a biologist at the Olive Ridley Project, an English non-profit that examines the influence of fishing on sea turtle populations in the Indian Ocean.
Sea turtles in Kenya are protected by law, which makes any sort of direct exploitation of the animal or its products illegal. Illegal harvesting is on the decline, but conservationists believe it's still a long way to go.
Joanna Hancock, a biologist, says: "Climate change is posing significant problems to sea turtles around the world. We're looking at a lot of beaches where the eggs are becoming more feminized. So, as the air and sand temperatures rise, we're seeing an increase in the number of female hatchlings. Females are outnumbering males on the beaches. As a result, the sex ratios are skewed, which is not ideal."
A turtle normally takes 48 days to hatch.
She clarifies: "Males are vital for reproduction, but they are also the drivers of genetic variation in a community, so having too many females is never a desirable thing. As a result, we want species that are adaptable to change and danger."
Diani Turtle Watch is attempting to educate fishermen on the need of turtle conservation in order to prevent extinction. They were discovered with fatal injuries to their front flippers, which had been severed from their bodies; it's been suggested that fisherman damaged the turtles while attempting to rescue them.
Diani Turtle Watch is now assisting the fishermen; after making contact, they go out to the boats and securely release the turtles.
There has also been an increase in trawling and incidents of marine turtles being captured in fishing nets, according to conservation groups. Sea turtle deaths increased over that time, according to Mai.
The Tiwi Turtle Police, Kenya Wildlife Service, and community monitors have returned to raise awareness about the need of sea turtle protection and monitoring, claiming that the number of deaths is decreasing.
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