Panama village welcomes back leatherback turtles

Wide tracks of a leatherback turtle have been spotted in the remote Panamanian coastal town of Jaqué for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Locals consider this a milestone and a sign that nearly 20 years of grassroots protection efforts in the area are paying off.

Egg poaching is considered the biggest threat to sea turtle population decline in Jaqué, prompted by local beliefs about the eggs' beneficial properties. The community-led Protective Organization for Sea Turtles and Biodiversity of Jaqué focuses on conservation education instead of confrontation.

For nearly two decades, the group has organized volunteers to patrol beaches at night for signs of newly laid nests. The effort has also become a source of local employment; the group pays trained individuals to move the discovered eggs to the safety of the hatchery.

This post was produced by Cecilia Lallmann, Janine Al-Hadidi, Hena Takal, Julia Griffin, Travis Daub and Dan Cooney.

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