CHAMPIONING TURTLE CONSERVATION IN THE MALDIVES
We are continuing our storytelling collaboration with Elisa Spampinato, from Traveller Storyteller, where we explore the lives and stories of the extraordinary local individuals who are vital to the success of our tours.
In this third conversation, we present the first part of a conversation between Elisa and our turtle ambassador, Isha Afeef from the Olive Ridley Project. If you’ve joined our Turtle Conservation Cruise, Isha will be a familiar name and face.
Join us as we explore their conversation!
SAY HELLO TO ISH A TURTLE AMBASSADOR
Ish joined Olive Ridley Project (ORP) in the Maldives, which protects sea turtles and their habitats, in the early months of 2021 – during the challenging time of COVID-19 – as the first local Sea Turtle Biologist in the country, and the first Maldivian biologist who had ever worked for the organisation. Now she covers a manager’s role and her work focuses on leading conservation by having a local community-driven conservation effort.
After the initial introduction, I was already thrilled for the conversation ahead.
ORP took its name from the olive ridley turtle – one of the species of sea turtles often found entangled in the so-called ghost nets, which pollute the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives and put the lives of so many marine creatures in danger. The vaavoshi in the local Dhivehi language – passes through the waters of the Maldives but is not one of the resident species. The types of turtles that you will find living and nesting in the Maldives are the endangered green turtle and the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, which could also be your companions while you are snorkelling. The loggerhead and leatherback turtle, on the other hand, are found very rarely here.
The organisation is extremely important because in the Maldives, along with others, they are caring for and preserving the life of five turtle of the seven turtle species that exist in the world. Sea turtles are keystone species – meaning they play a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystems and their disappearance could cause drastic changes in the ocean. ORP’s work is important as they protect sea turtles and their habitats through three main pillars:
- Rescue and Rehabilitation
- Scientific Research
- Outreach and Education
Since 2016, ORP has been a registered UK charity and today it actively works in six Maldivian atolls, as well as being active in Pakistan, the Seychelles and Kenya and Oman. In 2021 ORP became a registered charity in the Maldives as well. If ORP exists, it is because there are still too many olive ridley turtles in need of help in the Maldives, although the focus of the organisation has shifted and now, beyond rescuing sea turtles, it also includes working towards protecting sea turtles and their habitats.
THE TOURISTS’ ROLE
I imagine that, for an organisation like ORP, dealing daily with the problems of marine wildlife protection and the additional manmade issues that so strongly affect the balance of life in the oceans, the right partnerships and the right behaviour of the
surrounding local stakeholders must be thought about carefully. After all, their work needs all possible support to produce long-lasting results. It is not just a matter of fixing a problem, but rather of helping to deliver information and shape new mindsets, first and foremost, but not solely, with tourists.
Prior to my interview, I learned on Secret Paradise’s partners’ page that one of ORP’s priorities is the knowledge gap with regard to how to treat and interact with sea turtles, and by talking with Ish, she confirmed that unfortunately, this is still a problem.
Ish sounds very excited about her work. Her passion was passed on to me through her measured words and soft manner, delivered with great professionalism.
So what are her concerns. ‘Too many people still don’t know how to behave responsibly, both around swimming turtles, or nesting and hatching ones.’
The Code of Conduct that they have put together – and which can be found in the Learning Hub section of their website together with other written and video resources – provides concise and useful guidance on the right and safe behaviour to protect the life of these endangered animals.
However, she was excited to share that, along with behaving in appropriate ways, tourists can help by providing an essential contribution to turtle monitoring: after the lack of data, lack of monitoring is one of the main issues ORP faces. Visitors can do that by taking a photo-ID of the turtle’s face.
Ish explained to me that the scales on the turtle’s face are unique, like human fingerprints, and by comparing images contributed by these ‘citizen scientists’ – who support ORP’s regular data collection – they can acquire new information on the current resident turtle population, as well as new turtles, not encountered before, to their database.
If a tourist finds a ‘new’ turtle, she told me, they have the opportunity to name it (wow!) and even adopt it, and every time that ORP staff encounter that turtle again, a picture will be sent to the ‘discoverer’. A lovely way to follow the life of the marine creature they helped to find, monitor and protect.
This is one of the things tourists can learn at ORP’s Marine Turtle Rescue Centre or at the resorts they are working in or when travelling with a Secret Paradise Tour Leader.
FRUITFUL RESORT PARTNERSHIPS
ORP’s researcher in the Maldives are mainly based in resorts, and it is in a resort that ORP’s rescue and rehabilitation work started. In 2017 they began a crucial partnership with Coco Collection on Dhuni Kolhu island, in the Baa Atoll. Here one can visit their Marine Turtle Rescue Centre, including the veterinary clinic.
I learned about the kind of rehab the turtles need in those beautifully designed and efficiently made big tanks. Here the turtles receive medical care for their sickness or injuries sustained from ghost net entanglement and other traumas, and even learn how to dive again. Sometimes, when entangled in nets, turtles can puncture their lungs out of stress, causing the air to leak out into their body cavity which then makes them float. For a moment, I thought I was that stressed turtle, unable to swim, and my breath went shallow. It was completely heartbreaking to hear how these beautiful marine creatures suffer when they get entangled in a ghost net.
Since it was first established, the ORP Marine Turtle Rescue Centre at Coco Palm welcomes any turtles found in the Maldives in need of help. Although ORP has two other rehabilitation centres, The Marine Turtle Rescue Centre (MTRC) in Baa Atoll is their only fully equipped veterinary facility with a resident veterinary team which also operates a 24/7 emergency hotline.
The support and collaboration of the resorts has been fundamental, especially because the language barrier has sometimes been identified as an issue when reminding the many international travellers never to touch the turtles.
Six Senses Laamu is very well known for its positive contribution towards sustainability and it is probably the most renowned resort at a national level for marine conservation, and with good reason. The resort hosts the Maldives Underwater Initiative which gathers a team of marvellous professionals. In addition to ORP scientists and the Six Senses Marine biologists, the Manta Trust and the Blue Marine Foundation complete the team, making it the largest team of biologists at a resort anywhere in the country.
They provide their guests with many practical learning opportunities, and they also have a junior marine biologist course for young visitors, which includes in-water sessions and a certificate on completion, which will make them feel proud.
Since 2017 ORP has also been present in another six resorts, namely, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu (Baa Atoll), One & Only Reethi Rah (North Malé Atoll), Soneva Jani (Noonu atoll), Sirru Fen Fushi (Shaviyani Atoll), and Joali Being (Raa Atoll). ORP works closely with each of them to create a multiplier effect of positive outcomes aligned with their core mission, all while using tourism as a tool for good.
Continue reading this interesting conversation that Elisa had with Ish HERE
