In October, Olive Ridley Project hosted Vaavoshi festival, Maldives’ first multi-atoll sea turtle festival, in collaboration with schools across eight different atolls. Complete with educational talks, song and dance, fun parades, mural making and beach cleanups – the festival truly captured the spirit of finding community in conservation.

A successful multi-stakeholder rescue mission saved five adult green sea turtles on the uninhabited island of Athahendha in Laamu Atoll on 17th April 2022. The turtles were found immobilised and unnaturally rolled over on their backs. They were concealed under some palm trees about three metres from the beach and had minor injuries. All five turtles successfully made it back to the sea.

Gaadhoo island in Laamu Atoll is the most significant nesting beach in the Maldives. In 1984, it was estimated that 5-10 nests were laid per night on Gaadhoo. Nesting has now declined by 40%. Gaadhoo’s nesting turtles are key in ensuring the survival of the population of green sea turtles in the Maldives. Gaadhoo is also a haven for many other species, such as migratory birds and juvenile fish.

It’s a lucky few that witness a sea turtle’s first foray into the world. Seeing sea turtles make their way into the ocean is an unforgettable and magical experience. However, sea turtle hatchlings have a famously tricky start to life. Here we shed some light on the difficulties new born turtles face, and the best practices to follow when witnessing a sea turtle hatching experience.