Swim around Klein Bonaire: 11K for research in Lac Bay
Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire’s (STCB) mission is to ensure that Bonaire’s turtles have a secure future. One of the research projects that STCB works on is capture-mark-recapture research. The aim of this research is to gain better insight into the growth rates, population sizes, and health status of the sea turtles around Bonaire.
About Lac Bay
Lac Bay – with its beautiful seagrass meadows – is Bonaire’s most important foraging ground for green sea turtles. In fact, research by STCB over the past twenty years has shown that turtles in Lac Bay grow significantly faster than turtles on the west coast of our island. Faster growth rates allow sea turtles to reach adulthood at an earlier age, meaning they can start nesting in their twenties instead of their thirties.
Currently, STCB has noticed that growth rates have been decreasing slightly in the bay. This may be caused by a number of factors, such as invasive seagrass, poor water quality, diseases, or other factors that we have yet to discover. To continue to collect data, monitor the situation, and learn more about potential factors affecting the growth rates of sea turtles in Lac, STCB needs new material. The research net that is currently used to capture sea turtles is in desperate need of retirement.
About the STCB Fundraiser
Because of this, STCB started a fundraiser for which the field team – Field Coordinator Daan and intern Kate – will swim a full circle (a total of 11km) around Klein Bonaire, another important foraging ground for our turtles, to collect $11,000 for two new research nets. Daan and Kate – who have no experience swimming long distances – are determined to swim around Klein Bonaire in one go. They started training at the beginning of June and have about six weeks to prepare as their swim is scheduled for the week of July 29th. Show your support by making a donation to STCB. Your donation will be used to purchase two new research nets so they can keep monitoring the sea turtle population in Lac Bay. We would like to thank Van Den Tweel Supermarket Bonaire for the generous donation of food and drinks for our volunteers and swimmers.
Donations
Donations can be made through STCB’s GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/1329fd75, their local account at MCB account 101169209, or through their Dutch Rabobank account NL71 RABO 0313 2425 26. For more information or questions, you can contact them directly at (+599) 717 2225 or by sending an email to cepa@bonaireturtles.org.
