TURTLE PROTECTION for Accommodations

1. TURTLEPROTECTIONfor Accommodations WHAT CAN YOU DO?

2. OBJECTIVESBy the end of the session you will be able to: • List some facts about marine turtles • Identify the issues facing the marine turtles and why they are on the World Conservations Union (IUCN) endangered species list • List the ways you can help to protect marine turtles • Decide what to do if you come across a turtle in trouble • Discuss turtle protection with guests and name the ways turtle protection messages can be delivered to guests

3. ABOUT MARINE TURTLES Did you know… • Marine turtles have inhabited the earth for over 110 million years • There are 7 species of sea turtle, including Loggerhead, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley • All 7 species of marine turtle are endangered • Only 1 out of every 1,000 new born turtles reaches adulthood

4. WHY ARE MARINE TURTLES ENDANGERED? • Entanglement in fishing gear • Use of turtle eggs and meat • Pollution • Habitat disturbance • Natural threats • Dogs, gulls, crows predatory fish, octopus, seals, sharks • Human threats • Waste, sunshades & sunbeds, nocturnal noise and light, motorised water sports, wooden walkways, vehicle driving and horseriding on the beach, illegal souvenir trade • Climate change Some of these threats are as a result of tourism What can you do to help?

5. WHAT ARE THE DANGERS FACING MARINE TURTLES? • There are a variety of dangers and issues facing marine turtles and their habitats • Marine and beach habitat can be disturbed or destroyed by development and human activity • Understanding the dangers and knowing what you can do to help benefits not only the turtles and their environment, but also helps your guests understand the unique place they have chosen to spend their holiday.

6. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Turtles can be hit by speedboats and jet skis WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Discourage your customers from using speedboats or jet skis where there are turtles in the water. • Persuade them to drive them slowly, keeping a lookout for any turtles in the water. • Provide details on what customers should do if they see a turtle. For example: • Keep your distance • Never try and grab a turtle, they don’t like being grabbed and can deliver a very nasty bite!

7. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Marine litter, such as plastic bags WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Marine turtles often mistake plastic bags for jelly fish, and if they eat them it can block their digestive system and they can die. • Encourage your customers to dispose of litter responsibly, and never throw litter in the sea, leave it on the beach or flush it down the toilet. • By promoting and even selling reusable bags you can cut down on the amount of litter on the beach.

8. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Lots of noise, light and movement on the beach can disturb the female turtles and prevent them laying their eggs WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Sea turtles are easily disturbed by human presence, and should you or your customers encounter one, keep your distance, try to be quiet and do not touch them. • Please ask your customers not to walk on turtle nesting beaches at night during the breeding season, and avoid using flash photography.

9. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Nests being disturbed or damaged by people walking over them and shading them from the sun by beach furniture WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Advise your customers not to drive vehicles or ride horses on turtle nesting beaches during the turtle breeding season. • Encourage them to avoid walking along the back of the beach. • During the day keep all beach furniture close to the sea, ideally within a few metres of the waterline.

10. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Obstacles on the beach preventing or hindering the hatchlings getting to the sea WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Always make sure beach furniture is removed from turtle nesting beaches before night fall. • Encourage your customers to level off any sandcastles and fill in any holes that they have dug on the turtle nesting beach. Deep holes have even been know to trap and kill nesting females.

11. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Lights on the beach confusing the hatchlings and making them run inland rather than to the sea WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Baby turtles are guided to the sea by moonlight on the horizon. • Make sure there are absolutely no lights shining on turtle nesting beaches at night. By switching off the lights you can help to make drastic savings on the hotel electricity bills and of course, you will help baby turtles get to the sea, giving them that extra chance of survival.

12. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Being hunted for their shells in some parts of the world tortoiseshell jewellery (made from Hawksbill turtle shell), turtle shells and stuffed turtles are sold in tourist gift shops. WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Encourage your customers to never buy turtle products while on holiday, for their own sake as well as for the turtles. • International trade in turtle products such as tortoiseshell jewellery, turtle shells and stuffed turtles is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). • It is illegal to bring turtle products into the UK.

13. WHAT YOU CAN DO! DANGER • Climate change will affect marine turtles and their habitats around the world. For example nesting beaches may become inundated as a result of significant sea level rise. WHAT YOU CAN DO! • Climate change is a problem that we can all address, even when on holiday. • Encourage your customers to switch off any lights or electrical appliances such as TVs and air conditioning units when they are not in use. • Suggest that your customers walk, cycle or use public transport whenever possible rather than using petrol fuelled vehicles.

14. A TURTLE IN TROUBLE? • If you come across a dead or injured turtle, or a customer notifies your representative or reception desk, contact your local turtle conservation/protection organisation, some of which are… • Cape Verde SOS Tartarugas www.sostartarugas.org • CaribbeanWIDECAST http://www.widecast.org/ • GreeceKatelios Group, Kefalonia www.kateliosgroup.org Archelon www.archelon.gr • Mexico Flora, Fauna Y Cultura de Mexico, A.C. www.florafaunaycultura.org/ • Turkey Dekamer http://caretta.pau.edu.tr/index_eng.html Ayse Oruc of WWF-Turkey www.wwf.org.tr Dalyan http://www.dalyanturtles.com/ • Other...Marine Conservation Society www.mcsuk.org MEDASSET www.medasset.org The Coral Reef Alliance http://coral.org/

15. TURTLE PROTECTIONOUR CUSTOMERS • Protecting the product • unspoilt destinations (pollution, water scarcity, extreme weather) • unique character (unsympathetic development, imported goods and culture) • Being welcome • Enjoying unique wildlife

16. TURTLE PROTECTION WHEN TO TALK WITH GUESTS WASTING RESOURCES IS A WASTE OF MONEY • Turtles in Trouble film • Through leaflets in welcome packs • Display posters and tent cards at reception • In one-to-one discussions • Through kids clubs • Encourage excursion suppliers e.g. catamaran trips, jet ski hire to talk about the turtles on the excursions and to avoid areas close to nesting beaches • Turtle adoption • A holiday near a turtle nesting beach provides the chance to see turtles in the wild • Encourage this interest and make customers feel that they can contribute to the turtles survival

17. SUSTAINABLE TOURISMIN THE CARIBBEAN… • Protecting endangered nesting turtles – so they can make their way from the sands to the sea! • Helping hunters become guides...

18. SUSTAINABLE TOURISMWHO BENEFITS? • Our guests • Our business • The places our customers love to visit!

19. YOU ARE THE KEY… You can do your bit and help protect turtles. You only have to be confident to talk to guests about the benefits of turtle protection and check that guests know what they can do.

20. Thank you