Sea Sense – Tanzania (2023)

Sea Sense has been researching and protecting the sea turtles that nest in Mafia, Tanzania for over 20 years thanks to their team of Community Conservation Officers– members of the local community who have been trained in research and beach monitoring protocols. These individuals have tirelessly conducted night patrols and nest monitoring which has helped researchers learn more about the turtles who nest in this area. Sea Sense now aims to expand their data collection and understanding to include nearshore sea turtles and their habitats.

To this end, Community Conservation Officers will visit Bahari Hai, a Kenya-based sea turtle project and past SWOT Grant recipient, to learn methods for in-water monitoring. Knowledge of nearshore habitat use will help keep sea turtles safe not only on the beach but also in the ocean.