UniSey and NPA team up for the turtles |12 December 2011

The aim was to remove beach litter and other obstacles, hence making available potential sites to ease the turtles' nesting experience.

This initiative was taken up by the second year students enrolled on the Geography and Environment Degree Programme, spearheaded by Daig Romain, a mature student who previously worked with the NPA.

Mr Romain stated: “My fellow colleagues, do not only share my passion in learning about the natural environment but you must  also appreciate the chance to actively contribute in the several ways  one can to safeguard the environment and species such as the endangered Hawksbill turtle.”

The university students were in high spirits when dropped off at Grand Anse, Pti Manon and Gran Manon, fully equipped with rubber gloves and machetes ready to take on the task before them.

We divided ourselves into two groups one called the “G.I Jane” team and the other “Marswen” team. During the course of the day the “G.I Jane” team were taught how to collect measurement data of turtle tracks found along the beach while the “Marswen” team were lucky enough to witness a turtle making its way up to shore. Students from various degree programmes that came together for this project did not fail to express how satisfied they were with what they had learned and accomplished on that day.

Before taking the boat back to Mahe, Rodney Quatre, manager of Marine Research, took a moment to thank the UniSey students for contributing their time and energy for a good cause and hailed the day as being a success.

Similar sentiments were shared by the BSc Geography and Environment students who are planning on making this project an annual rendez-vous with the Hawksbill.

Contributed