April 5, 1992 - Sea Turle Organization: Ghlee Woodworth, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, has been transferred to Moheli to begin a one-year study tracking the sea turtles

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Comoros: The Peace Corps in Comoros: April 5, 1992 - Sea Turle Organization: Ghlee Woodworth, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, has been transferred to Moheli to begin a one-year study tracking the sea turtles

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Ghlee Woodworth, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, has been transferred to Moheli to begin a one-year study tracking the sea turtles



Ghlee Woodworth, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, has been transferred to Moheli to begin a one-year study tracking the sea turtles

Sea Turtles in the Comoros Islands

Ghlee Woodworth
Corps De La Paix, B.P. 25, Fomboni, Moheli, Comoros Islands, via Paris, France

The Comoros Islands are located south of the Republic of the Seychelles and northwest of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Historically, three species of sea turtle reportedly occurred in the waters of the Comoros Islands, but now only the green turtle is regularly observed. Loggerhead and hawksbill turtles once nested here, but apparently do so no longer. The loggerhead turtle has not been seen for many years (and then only on rare occasions) and hawksbill turtles are observed at sea in very small numbers. The green turtle nested at one time on all three islands (Grande Comore, Anjouan, Moheli), but today, according to the Comorians, it nests only on Moheli. The population of green turtles has declined significantly over the past 25-30 years, having been used as a food source because of poor economic circumstances. Comorians kill the turtles and keep the meat and eggs for themselves, or they purchase turtle meat which is much less expensive than fish or other meats. One kilogram of turtle meat may sell for as little as 150 Comorian francs [250 francs = ca. US$ 1.00], compared to fish at 300+ francs/kg or other meat at 900 francs/kg. In direct contrast to the situation in the Seychelles, hawksbill products are not involved in illegal international trade from the Comoros Islands; however, preserved hawksbill and loggerhead turtles are sometimes displayed in Comorian homes.

Many people in the past few years have become aware of the significance of the sea turtle in the Comoros Islands and many people have not only stopped eating turtle meat, but are attempting to educate those who continue to do so. A law protecting the turtles has been in force for several years, but only recently have sea turtles become a focus of attention. In order to learn more about the sea turtles of Moheli, a colleague (Marilyn Noguera) and I recently interviewed residents of the island. Initially there were two villages (Itsamiya and Noumachoi) that had a beach patrol and protection program. Now there are three, the latter (Houani) having been influenced by the other two. Efforts are made two or three times each week (more when students are not in school) to walk the nesting beaches or patrol adjoining waters. The reason that these efforts are necessary is that fellow Comorians, mainly from the island of Anjouan, routinely visit the island in boats at night and take gravid females before they have a chance to lay their eggs. During our interviews we learned that the turtles are taken prior to egg-laying because the meat tastes "considerably worse" if they kill the female after she has laid her eggs. We know of no basis for this, and have not heard similar claims elsewhere.

The persistent killing of gravid females is the most likely cause of the observed population decline. Natural predators are not a serious problem, nor is the collection of eggs. The residents of Moheli have noticed recently a decline in the number of boats coming to take their nesting turtles and thus they feel that their conservation efforts are successful. This is particularly satisfying because the villages took it upon themselves to protect the turtles. They realize the importance of the sea turtles, and of a healthy coastal environment as a whole, both to tourism and to their cultural heritage. Having learned of their efforts, we have provided the villagers with posters and technical information. The main objective of our continued involvement is to assist in community education and to support the villager's efforts to protect the remaining green turtles. I, as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, have now been transferred to Moheli. I plan to begin a one-year study to include tagging, measuring, and tracking the sea turtles. In preparation for this new responsibility, I have received training from Dr. Jeanne Mortimer who visited the Comoros in May at the request of the U. S. Embassy. We visited several beaches during her stay. I also hope to visit and subsequently collaborate with Dr. George Hughes in South Africa.

I am grateful for the support of many in the international sea turtle community, including the Editors of this Marine Turtle Newsletter, for providing me with information and background materials on sea turtle conservation.



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Story Source: Sea Turle Organization

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Comoros; Sea Turles; Zoology

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