Marine Conservation in Sri Lanka: An Operational Project for Turtle Protection
Along the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, where the ocean meets golden beaches and dense mangrove expanses, one of the country's most structured environmental protection initiatives takes shape: the Turtle Conservation Project, managed by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG-TCP).
Launched in 2016, the program was created with the goal of protecting sea turtles that return to nest on the island's beaches every year. The uniqueness of this project lies not only in its effectiveness, but also in its institutional origin: it is in fact the Coast Guard, a military body responsible for maritime security, that has integrated marine biodiversity protection among its missions.
Species present and ecological challenges
Sri Lanka is one of the few nations in the world that can boast the regular presence of five of the seven known sea turtle species: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), the flatback turtle (Natator depressus), the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).
Two of these, the leatherback and the hawksbill, are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their survival depends on an increasingly fragile ecological balance, threatened by both natural and anthropogenic pressures.
The main threats identified by the program include:
- Loss of coastal habitat, caused by urbanization, erosion, unregulated tourism
- Plastic and microplastic pollution, which is often ingested by turtles causing intestinal blockages or death
- Accidental catches in industrial fishing, especially in trawl nets and longlines Poaching for illegal collection of eggs, meat and shells destined for the black market
- Climate change, which alters sand temperatures (influencing sex determination of embryos) and modifies migratory routes
Active centers and fieldwork
To respond to this complexity of threats, the project has created a network of eight operational conservation centers, located at strategic points along the southern coast, near Coast Guard stations.
Each center acts as an autonomous but coordinated territorial base, and works according to a multidisciplinary approach that combines biology, environmental education, civic participation and data collection. Daily activities in the field include:
- Constant monitoring of nesting sites, especially during breeding season
- Fencing and securing of eggs, protecting them from predators and human interference
- Monitoring of hatchings and collection of scientific data on survival rates, temperature and nest conditions
- Controlled release of hatchlings into the sea, often performed at night or at first light to increase survival chances
- Education and awareness-raising aimed at schools, tourists and local communities
- Active involvement of fishermen and volunteers, trained to become sentinels of marine biodiversity
The centers do not function as isolated reserves, but as catalysts for environmental awareness, rooted in the social fabric. The goal, in fact, is not only to save individual nests or individuals, but to transform turtle protection into a collective responsibility.
Integrated and concrete conservation
The Turtle Conservation Project stands out for its deeply practical and territorial approach. It is not limited to scientific conservation, but works to modify habits, train new skills and build a culture of environmental protection in coastal areas.
The involvement of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard adds a dimension of operational rigor and effective logistics, but above all represents a replicable model: that of a military institution that also assumes an ecological role, contributing to the protection of ecosystems in a direct, continuous and coordinated way.
Impact and prospects
Since 2016, thanks to this program, thousands of eggs have been protected every year. The data collected is shared with national and international research networks, contributing to the global understanding of sea turtle health status.
Beyond the results in the field, what makes this project particularly significant is its ability to combine protection and training: every hatchling that reaches the sea, every young person involved in environmental education activities, every volunteer who learns to protect a nest, represents a concrete step towards a future in which the balance between humans and the environment is no longer an exception, but a norm.
Location: Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka
Promoting entity: Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG)
Launch year: 2016
Focus: sea turtle conservation, environmental education, nest support
Active centers: 8 Status: operational and expanding project