The turtles of Jiquilisco Bay

The National Geographic website has a new article up titled Protecting El Salvador’s Largest Wetland From the Bottom Up.   The article describes the important ecosystem of El Salvador's Jiquilisco Bay along the Pacific coast and the endangered sea turtles which live there:

Jiquilisco Bay is idyllic in many ways. This bay, which includes mangroves, seagrass beds, and several islands is not only a place of great natural beauty; it’s a working landscape, providing sustenance and income for thousands of local residents. Industries that reap from the bay and its forests include fishing, transportation, firewood collection, and tourism. Managing the natural resources and ensuring that there is enough for everyone is a complicated job- too big for any single government agency or community organization. 

During a recent week-long tour I led for SEE Turtles to explore El Salvador’s culture and nature, our group saw first hand how community development and wildlife groups are helping manage Jiquilisco Bay, conserving its wild animals, and reducing the negative environmental impact that fishing can have. We learned about threats to the bay’s ecosystem and visited local projects to ensure that the riches of the bay can sustain its human and wild inhabitants.

Read the rest of  the article here.