Education and Awareness

Children and Turtles, naturally!!

For many centuries indigenous people form Galibi in Suriname have lived with marine turtles. The stories of numerous marine turtles being summoned by the Shaman to nest on the beaches are told from generation to generation. Yet, not always do these children get the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures, because of the high cost of boat transportation. To educate them in the biology of marine turtles and the importance of their conservation, WWF Guianas developed an educational program in collaboration with Netherlands Committee for IUCN, Nature Conservation Division and STINASU.

Cheering and making their joyful sounds as 17 boys and girls (ages 9-13) from the St. Antonius elementary school in Galibi with 3 teachers jumped into the boat ready to take them on a 45 minute trip to Babunsanti, the nesting beach of the Atlantic Leatherback, the Green turtle and the Hawksbill. Upon arrival the kids got some snacks and had time to play.

The education program started with introduction of the team members and the kids. They were then given general information about the work of participating organizations. After this session they were taken to the beach for the "turtle game".

In this game the children needed to emerge from the water, crawl on their bellies and dig a hole with their feet as a nesting marine turtle. The first one to make a nest of 30cm deep won the game. At night after diner the children were taken on the beach to spot turtles. They had to follow the instructions given by the team.

They saw several leatherbacks nesting on the beach and there they could see in practice what they had learned hours before. It was late when they returned and before long all of them were fast asleep in the STINASU owned Warana Lodge. At 05:00am they children and team got up to spot more turtles on the beach. And again they saw a few leatherbacks. Around 10:00am after breakfast they headed back to their villages in Galibi.

These activities were done with three groups form the 4th, 5th and 6th grade. The education of these children is important in the conservation of marine turtles in the Galibi Nature Reserve, because they will make a difference in the years to come.