Programa Tatô, ATM/MARAPA — São Tomé And Príncipe (2015)

São Tomé is home to important nesting and foraging areas of the critically endangered eastern Atlantic subpopulation of hawksbill turtles. Although monitoring has been conducted for more than a decade, recent interviews with local communities suggest that the previous studies may have missed important nesting sites. Moreover, foraging habitats for this population have not yet been identified.

Programa Tatô, ATM/MARAPA, utilized a 2015 SWOT grant to identify unknown nesting and foraging areas for this species. A group of researchers and local fishermen surveyed nesting beaches and conduct in-water monitoring along 140 kilometers (87 miles) of coastline. The results from the project will be used to prioritize areas for future monitoring and protection and ultimately will contribute to the creation of the first sea turtle management plan for São Tomé and Príncipe islands.