In days gone by, they would watch the heavily pregnant females drag themselves onto the beach and then plunder the eggs from their carefully excavated nests. They would take adults from the sea, and sell them for their shells and meat, but not anymore.
Now, a select group of the same individuals have turned their backs on poaching, and instead become sea turtle guardians.
Five of the world’s seven species of marine turtles live in the crystal-clear waters of Fiji. This includes both the green and hawksbill turtles, which nest on the islands’ beaches. Although turtles have been protected in Fiji for over a decade, poaching is still rife.
Add to this the impact of climate change, and of being snared in nets or hit by boats, and hawksbill turtle populations have plummeted by 80% in just three generations. Green turtles are struggling too, accounting for 60% of sea turtles harvested illegally from Fiji between 2021 and 2022.
Fighting a losing battle, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Pacific decided to enlist the help of those who knew the turtles best; residents of Fiji, including some former poachers. Dubbed the ‘Dau ni Vonu,’ a new community of turtle protectors has been established. Amongst their duties; protecting nests, counting eggs, safeguarding hatchlings and contributing to ongoing conservation efforts.
Fiji is an archipelago of more than 332 islands, many of which are home to nesting turtles. In 2023, when monitoring was introduced, 12 newly trained guardians ran 78 patrols on 36 beaches, counting and protecting 216 nests.
“Our forefathers all hunted turtles,” says former poacher Viliame Tuinavadra, who is Turagi-ni-Koro (village head) of Fiji’s Dravuni island. “We used to go out to collect the eggs during school breaks. Last year we didn’t have any nests with eggs on our main island. By January 2024, we have nine on this island alone. That in itself shows a big change in the community in just one year’s time.”
When turtles eat the sponges that can outcompete the corals on the reefs where they swim, they help to maintain the health of these vibrant ecosystems. However, the WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report warns that the world’s reefs are approaching an irreversible tipping point, threatening the reefs and the many species that rely on them. This makes the work of the Dau ni Vonu even more important.
“All our incredible turtle volunteers and community members who give their precious time to be out in the field in all these different places, they are the true turtle heroes,” says Hanna Helsingen, who is Regional Conservation Director of WWF-Pacific.
Main image: a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) cruises along the shallow coastal waters of Fiji/Tom Vierus / WWF
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