Local Ocean Trust - Diani Turtle Watch — Kenya (2014)

Diani, located on the southern Kenyan coast, is a prime nesting area for green turtles. Coastal development poses a serious and imminent threat to the continuity of this rookery. Since 2012, Local Ocean Trust (LOT), which is a sea turtle conservation organization based in Watamu, Kenya, has trained a team of local Kenyan men to monitor and protect nesting females and their nests in Diani.

The Diani Turtle Watch is the first satellite program developed by LOT and is based on the team’s work in Watamu. The 2014 SWOT grant will be used to provide further training to the Diani Turtle Watch team and to purchase basic equipment to facilitate monitoring and protection activities.