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Sea Turtles
Through education, outreach, legal reform, and direct support of on-the-ground conservation programs, Defenders Mexico Program is working to conserve all six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles that nest in Mexico: loggerhead, green, olive ridley, kemps ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback turtles. Mexico hosts some of the world’s most important nesting beaches for these species.
Working together with other non-governmental organizations and scientists, Defenders of Wildlife was able to secure an important shark fishery regulation that will help protect threatened sea turtle populations and their nesting, feeding areas, and migratory routes.
Defenders also works extensively with Mexican fishing communities to educate them on the endangered status of sea turtles and how to avoid capture and harm of sea turtles in their fishing activities.
Defenders was instrumental in defeating proposals to reopen international trade in hawksbill and green sea turtles under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Defenders successfully supported U.S. ratification of the Protocol on Specially Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean Region, a treaty that protects all species of sea turtles found in the region. Defenders has urged the Mexican government to join the treaty as well.
Defenders is very active in the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Our resolution for protection of the Mexican hawksbill population was adopted in November of 2006.
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