Banwa Private Island has long been a favored nesting site for these turtles, and conservation projects are continuously implemented to protect preferential areas for them to lay their eggs
May 23 is World Turtle Day, an annual celebration whose aim is spread awareness about the planet’s over 300 turtle species, of which at least 129, the hawksbills included, are included, and to encourage the world to work to protect them.
Central to Banwa Private Island’s ethos is to support, nurture, and protect the island’s delicate ecosystem and the rich array of flora and fauna it provides habitat for.
One of the programs through its environmental arm, Aquos Foundation, is to protect the critically endangered hawksbill turtles. Banwa Private Island has long been a favored nesting site for the hawksbill turtles, and conservation projects are continuously implemented to protect preferential areas for the turtles to lay their eggs. Since 2016, over 6,300 hawksbill turtle eggs have been laid in 69 nests in its shores, of which 61 percent hatchlings have emerged.
‘There are 300 kinds of turtles in the world, 129 of which are endangered.'
The resort’s research initiatives involve nest identification and evaluation, monitoring, DNA sampling, and tagging. These has shown promising results as the resort’s environment guardians, guided by notable marine biologists, researchers, and scientists, regularly record repeat returns of identifiable sea turtles.
A reef rehabilitation program was also initiated fundamental to the future wellbeing of the marine turtle population. To date, work at Aquos Foundation has resulted in the deployment of over 180 reef ball structures to provide habitat for corals to colonize and in turn give shelter to sea turtles. An encouraging coral growth with up to 10 cm per annum was recorded in branching corals, and a significant uplift in the variety and density of fish species were observed in the research areas.
Banwa Private Island invites guests to participate in its hawksbill turtle conservation efforts throughout the turtle nesting season, which is from March to October of every year.
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