Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation

Five of the seven species of turtles, namely, the Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, and Leatherback, in the world visit the shores of Sri Lanka to breed.

Although a female turtle lays hundreds of eggs on the beach, only a few hatchlings return to the ocean. Established in 1988, Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project seeks to change the number by playing god to the turtles. The volunteers at the project collect and rescue eggs laid in the Kosgoda beach and take them back to the hatchery, where they hatch into baby turtles away from the natural predators and people who make a delicacy out of the eggs. After hatching, the hatchlings are kept back for a certain time period to give them a head start, increasing their chance of survival back in the ocean.

In addition, the project also works with local and foreign volunteers to clear and maintain the local beach, protect local nesting grounds and educate the public on the need to protect the turtles and their breeding ground for the future.