Conservation
The Vamizi Turtles
'There's a long way to go, but it would be nice to think we've made it at least to the water's edge'
From a turtle's perspective, the beaches of Vamizi are ideal for laying a clutch of up to 150 eggs in one sitting. This makes Vamizi an important destination for both the Green and Hawksbill turtle which are both listed by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as either endangered or critically endangered.
Turtle survival is one of nature’s big lotteries in the best conditions and humans have made it considerably harder. As well as being poached for their meat and shells, they are often caught in fishermen’s nets and drowned, and plastic waste in the sea chokes many to death.
Given the rapid decline in turtle numbers,in 2006 the Zoological Society of London concluded that Vamizi Island was a significant nesting area.
The Maluane Project, Vamizi Island’s conservation arm which has now been superceded by the WWF's Vamizi Island Project, set up a conservation project and this ongoing research and monitoring programme, which has now been running for more than nine years, is one of the oldest in Mozambique.
Vamizi's turtles have eight full-time rangers and a marine biologist looking after them. These people protect nests, nurture hatchlings, spread the turtle news through the local community, and encourage the island’s guests to get involved – often literally.
By collecting daily data, the team also contributes to a scientific body of research that helps improve our understanding of these beautiful creatures and how best to ensure their continued survival.
Turtles, indirectly. fundraise for the conservation project as a whole and to support a satellite tracking programme, where a few of the Vamizi turtles have been tagged to trace their journeys to and from Vamizi.
It's all part of Vamizi's quest to make tourism work for conservation. Like many grand schemes, there's a long way to go, but it would be nice to think we've made it, like the hatchling turtles, at least to the water’s edge.