Universidad Autónoma del Carmen (UNACAR) — Mexico (2019)

AZA-SAFE Grant Recipient

©Abigail Uribe-Martínez

Isla Arena is a small fishing community on the Yucatán Peninsula whose beaches provide nesting habitat for hawksbill turtles and whose marine zone is a hotspot where green, hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, and loggerhead turtles all coincide during their lifecycles. Historically, local inhabitants of the island consumed turtle eggs and meat, and more recently began to harvest eggs and capture adults to sell, illegally, to mainland communities. A local women-run nonprofit called Fileteras del Peten aims to combat turtle consumption through beach monitoring, environmental education, and outreach to promote more sustainable practices in this small community. UNACAR will use a 2019 SWOT Grant to support Fileteras del Peten in organizing workshops and outreach activities and strengthening their sea turtle monitoring project.