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Sea turtles are one of the most exciting animals to see in the wild, and Vanuatu’s waters are home to four of the seven species found worldwide: Hawksbill, Green, Loggerhead and Leatherback. Hawksbill, Green and Leatherback turtles also come ashore to lay their eggs on Vanuatu’s beaches during the summer months (October to March).

Sea turtles are charismatic animals and many people, both from Vanuatu and our visiting tourists, are excited to see them. But turtles are threatened species and can be easily disturbed by humans and other human activities can also have detrimental effec

These guidelines are for when turtles are sighted from non-motorised vessels (boats, kayaks, canoes, sailings dingeys, stand-up paddleboards, surfboards etc.)

This status review is a compilation of the most recent literature and statistics on the status of sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean region, providing a clearer understanding of the risks to sea turtles and their habitats. It presents a summary of the relevant (published) literature and knowledge about sea turtle reproductive biology, movements, and connectivity, and presents these alongside relevant threats that, in combination, are pertinent to understanding the status of sea turtle populations in the Pacific Ocean. This knowledge will be incorporated into a risk extinction model for sea turtles in the Pacific, to be used at national and regional levels to develop effective management and conservation programmes to ensure that sea turtles continue to play their important ecological roles and continue to be part of local customs and traditions. The activity was funded by the SPREP-led By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden

PACC reports

If current trends continue, leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles will probably go extinct in the Pacific in our lifetime. Eastern Racific hawksbills are likely past the point of no return, while green turtles and olive Ridleys are at a fraction of their former populations. The turtle decline is clear evidence that human activities are causing loss of biodiversity on our planet. If we choose to save Pacific sea turtles, we must confront the challenges of international industrial fishing, widespread small-scale fisheries, traditional harvesting of turtles, illegal poaching markets, and our irresponsible use of plastics. If we succeed, sea turtles will unite people from different cultures across the world in a shared vision for conservation on planet Earth.