Equilibrio Azul — Ecuador (2019)

©Equilibrio Azul

Puerto López beach on Ecuador’s Pacific coast is one of the few index nesting beaches for the critically endangered East Pacific population of hawksbill sea turtles. This nesting habitat has been heavily impacted over the past few years due to an increase in construction on and around the beach. With the weight of its 12 years of nesting data, Equilibrio Azul will use a 2019 SWOT grant to inform the local community and government on the importance of conserving and recuperating the beaches that provide vital nesting habitat for these critically endangered turtles. Ultimately, they aim to create a sea turtle conservation zone on approximately 800 meters of developed beach.

©Equilibrio Azul