The goal of the project is to strengthen sea turtle conservation in San Rafael Tasajera by supporting hatchery operations, including nighttime egg collection, and by promoting a culture of environmental conservation among children and youth through meaningful, hands-on educational experiences.
San Rafael Tasajera is not only important for sea turtles but also serves as a key habitat for other endangered species, such as the yellow-naped parrot and the mangrove ecosystems that sustain diverse wildlife. Protecting this biodiversity is essential, not only for the surrounding communities but also for the ecological health and natural heritage of the entire country.
In El Salvador, it is not possible to leave sea turtle eggs in situ due to the numerous threats they face and the urgent need for greater protection. These threats include stray or wild dogs that may eat the eggs, illegal trade despite an established ban (driven by the community’s economic needs), and limited awareness about wildlife conservation. For this reason, we must establish secure hatcheries where the local community actively participates, and FUNZEL provides materials, technical guidance, and small financial support.
As part of this effort, we compensate community members for collecting eggs during the nesting season, which takes place at night, ensuring that the eggs are safely relocated to the hatchery. These hatcheries must be protected from crabs and other predators. Both FUNZEL and the community work together to build and maintain the enclosures, while other partner organizations contribute additional resources as a counterpart to the funds received for this initiative. This project seeks to strengthen these efforts while also providing environmental education opportunities for children and youth, raising awareness about the importance of preserving coastal ecosystems and its Biodiversity.
