From poachers to protectors: Tanzanians guard sea turtles

Dar es Salaam. Despite more than two decades of determined conservation work, the silent slaughter of endangered sea turtles continues in remote stretches of Tanzania’s coast, where outreach programs have yet to reach.

The situation underscores the urgent need to expand protection efforts across the country’s coastal regions.

However, there has been a remarkable transformation. In areas like Mafia Island, a local NGO, Sea Sense, active since 2001, has worked tirelessly with coastal communities, turning former turtle poachers into guardians of this ancient species.

Where turtle meat was once consumed in secret and eggs stolen from nests, today communities celebrate the awe-inspiring sight of hatchlings making their way to the sea protected by human hands rather than threatened by them.

Yet just miles from these conservation success stories, along Tanzania’s expansive coastline, many beaches remain unmonitored. There, sea turtles continue to be hunted, and their nesting sites disturbed. These areas, untouched by educational campaigns or enforcement, pose a serious threat to the survival of the species.

Sea Sense’s Project manager, Lydia Mgimwa, acknowledged the progress made but emphasised that much more work remains.

 “We’ve made significant strides, but in areas where we’re not present, turtles are still being hunted for meat, and eggs are being collected illegally,” she said. “It’s a crime, but without conservation presence, it continues unabated.”

She explained that sea turtles are more than just a beautiful part of marine life; they are ecological keystones.

 “They feed on jellyfish and graze on seagrass beds; turtles maintain the balance of marine ecosystems,” Ms Mgimwa explained. “If they disappear, fish populations could decline, affecting both biodiversity and the livelihoods of thousands who depend on the ocean.”

Beyond their environmental role, sea turtles are an economic asset to Tanzania’s growing ecotourism sector.

 “Tourists come from around the world to witness nesting turtles or the unforgettable moment when dozens of hatchlings emerge from the sand. These experiences are irreplaceable,” she added.

Why the work must continue

Before Sea Sense began its operations, many beaches bore the evidence of rampant poaching, turtle shells scattered like bones of a lost past. Today, where Sea Sense is active, the story is different.

Using a community-based model, the organization has trained volunteers, launched awareness campaigns to communities, and even fitted turtles with tracking tags to study their migratory journeys from Tanzania to Mozambique and Comoros.

“We started in Mafia Island, but our vision is national,” said Ms Mgimwa. “We’re now implementing the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Marine Turtles (2024–2029), in collaboration with the Tanzanian government and international partners.”

Despite the momentum, Sea Sense warns that ongoing success depends heavily on funding and community involvement.

 “Every beach we haven’t reached is a risk zone. Each poached turtle is a vital loss not only for the species but for the ocean as a whole,” Ms Mgimwa noted. “We’re making a difference, but we need more help to reach the areas where turtles are still silently vanishing.” Sea turtles, ancient creatures that have survived since the age of dinosaurs, now face extinction not from natural predators but from human neglect, habitat destruction, and illegal exploitation.

Their future, according to conservationists, rests in the hands of engaged communities, committed governments, and international solidarity.

The UK High Commissioner to Tanzania, Marianne Young, emphasised the global relevance of conserving sea turtles.

 “They play a vital role in controlling jellyfish populations and maintaining healthy seagrass beds, both crucial for marine biodiversity,” she said. “Turtle nesting is not only a rare biological phenomenon but also a valuable attraction for ecotourism.”

She further warned that ongoing threats such as poaching, pollution, urbanization, and climate change are pushing the species toward the brink.

 “Tanzania’s turtle conservation efforts contribute to global marine protection strategies,” she added.

Young recently joined Sea Sense for a hatching event at Changani Beach in Kigamboni, witnessing firsthand the impact of local conservation.

 “Watching over 80 tiny turtles race to the ocean was extraordinary,” she said. “These creatures return to the beach where they were born. What Sea Sense is doing is giving them a fighting chance.”

One of the locals actively working to protect sea turtles, a resident of Changani Beach, Kigamboni, Ali Juma is part of a growing network of community volunteers trained by Sea Sense to monitor nesting sites, guard hatchlings, and educate others.

“We used to see turtles when I was growing up as a boy, but now we rarely see them,” he said.

He said to protect them, they now shield turtles from poachers and predators. “We’ve created a local watch group. When a turtle nests, we call Sea Sense. Then we mark the area and make sure no one disturbs it until the eggs hatch,” he explained.

Another local advocate, Salim Mfaume, a fisherman and father of four, believes that turtle conservation goes hand in hand with sustainable fishing.

 “If the turtles go, the fish will go too. The ocean doesn’t work without balance,” he said. “That’s why I teach my children to respect the sea. We can’t afford to lose these animals. They are part of who we are.”