The Wider Caribbean Region is one of the most important strongholds for sea turtles anywhere on the planet. Six of the world’s seven species — green, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and olive ridley — nest or forage somewhere within its waters, from the mangrove-lined cays of Belize to the coral reefs of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s also home to one of the world’s most established conservation coalitions. The Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST) coordinates work across more than 40 nations and territories, while the Sea Turtle Conservancy — the world’s oldest sea turtle research organization — has been working from Tortuguero, Costa Rica since 1959.
Below, explore the organizations actively protecting Caribbean sea turtles today.
