Manda, one of the idyllic isles of the Lamu archipelago on Kenya’s North Coast, is a haven for turtles.

For thousands of years, a few of its clear wide beaches, so far devoid of holiday homes and beach hotels, have been the nesting site for these gentle creatures of the sea.

Five species of sea turtles occur in Kenya’s marine waters. But all are either endangered or vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

Three of these — the Green, Hawksbill and the Olive Ridley nest on the sandy beaches of the Kenyan coast while the Loggerhead and the Leatherback turtles have been reported in several foraging grounds off the coast.

Although sea turtles in Kenya are protected under the Fisheries Act (Cap 378) and the Wildlife Act (CAP 376) of the laws of Kenya, they are continually under threat from the marine fishery, poaching and illegal trade in turtle products as well as coastal development.
In 1993, several individuals, community groups, NGOs, government institutions and a network of volunteers came together and formed the Kenya Sea Turtle Conservation Committee to address the plight of sea turtles in Kenya.

The committee contributes towards global efforts to promote the conservation of sea turtles and their habitats.

Kescom has 18 organised groups (called Turtle Conservation Groups — TCGs) whose operations cover roughly 50 per cent of the Kenyan coastline.
According to Andrew Wamukota of the Kenya Wildlife Service, records from Kescom show that turtles are moving further north to nest along the beaches of the Lamu archipelago due to “development” on the south side and human pressure.

The hardest hit areas are those where Kescom or independent turtle groups like the Lamu Conservation Trust are absent. In these areas, (especially in the south), turtle meat is eaten openly. A few years ago, a family offered a Kescom member a dish of turtle meat and were happy to pose for photographs while eating it. 

Lamu Port threat

Today, the overiding threat to turtles is the expected second Lamu port — linking Kenya to Sudan and Ethiopia and further beyond — whose construction is suppossed to begin this year.