Sri Lanka turtle guardians

[Catherine]

Turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on the beaches of Sri Lanka. Five of the world's seven species of sea turtles nest on those beaches. It is a dangerous situation for them. 
People on the beaches can prevent the turtles from laying their eggs. The eggs are poached as a food source. 
They are even sold to tourists as an expensive exotic food.
If the eggs actually survive to hatching they still have to make it to the ocean.
This is where the Pearl Protectors come to the rescue. The watch for the turtles to come ashore. They locate nests and protect them. They relocate eggs if the nest site is too dangerous. When they hatch, they help the baby turtles make it to the ocean.

In southern Sri Lanka the Turtle Conservation Project even hires the poachers to protect the nests.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/...t-industry

All the efforts being made for the turtles is making a difference. The turtles are being protected by some people. Local people are learning to appreciate the turtles and want to see them helped. When turtle conservation efforts become normal accepted behavior and most of the people are part of it, then the turtles will be able to thrive and multiply. This is critically important. So many of the world's sea turtles nest in Sri Lanka. Survival of a number of species is what is at stake here. The volunteers in Sri Lanka know that.