turtle conservation fund
funded projects

. Costa Rica .

Protecting nests with PRETOMA
Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is host to some of the world’s most important olive ridley turtle rookeries. MCS is supported PRETOMA, a local grassroots initiative to help communities protect nests on local beaches. Through Adopt-a-Turtle, thousands of hatchlings made it to the sea under the watchful eye of caring local communities. The project also works closely with local fishermen to promote turtle-friendly fishing practices. In an effort to encourage responsible fisheries, PRETOMA gets communities to record and report illegal fishing activity by non-local vessels, which results in the death of many turtles each year and places additional pressure on local artisanal fisheries. (TCF funded from 2002 to 2003)