Leatherback turtles rank as some of the oldest, hardiest survivors of several mass extinctions and geologic epochs, and through their time on earth have watched the rise, reign and ruin of thousands of creatures in the process. Humanity included. Now, however, due to poaching, fishing and pollution they are critically endangered worldwide. On the North-East and South East coasts of Trinidad and also in Tobago, dedicated local (and human) environmentalists have undertaken the ‘mammoth’ task of protecting these majestic and prehistoric creatures from extinction.
CNN Heroes: Suzan L. Baptiste by CNN_International
The leader of the campaign in Matura is a villager by the name of Suzan Lakhan-Baptiste. CNN recognized Suzan in its list of Heroes for her 20 years of work on leatherback turtle protection. Braving both the natural elements and the social pressures of her village, Suzan and her fledgling organization of volunteers, Nature Seekers, vigilantly guarded nesting female leatherbacks with the alarming passion of a mother defending her own young, earning her the moniker ‘Crazy Turtle Woman’.
Even though leatherbacks provided a vital source of income for some of the members of Matura and surrounding villages, she not only physically fought to deny poachers their catch but worked tirelessly to educate the community and visitors on the economic value of conservation. “I wanted to show that a turtle is worth so much more to us alive than dead,” Baptiste said.
Her love and dedication, the arduous work and the long hours swayed the minds and hearts of the community, which began to recognize the benefits for the village. Slowly, her message of conservation spread across neighboring villages. Today the communities of the most important nesting sites for Leatherback Turtles in Trinidad and Tobago have partnered with BHP Billiton (founding private sector sponsor), Atlantic, The Ministry of Tourism, Forestry Division and the Inter-American Development Bank, to form the Turtle Village Trust. Their mission is both simple and ambitious: “to foster and strengthen strategic partnerships with turtle conservation groups and the wider coastal communities to protect the natural resources while creating superior quality products and services for customers to achieve sustainable community growth.”
Today, over 15,000 visitors annually visit the nesting sites to partake in one of the most incredible eco-tourism ventures, not only on the island, but on the planet. During peak season, visitors can see between 150 or 200 turtles a night. More than 5,000 leatherbacks nest in the country each year and the work of Nature Seekers is often cited as one of the most successful eco-tourism efforts in the Caribbean, and is led by the one woman crazy enough to do it. As one village elder explained to CNN before her international accolade, “Suzan brought around the change. They don’t kill the turtles anymore.”
Her efforts have paid off well, not just in the economic boom for the villages involved, but also in the gradual rebound of recorded populations of Leatherbacks throughout the Caribbean region. Baptiste, however, has no desire to sit still to enjoy her success. While serving as the Chairman for Nature Seekers, and a board member for the Turtle Village Trust, she has also been asked to share her knowledge and experience with other Caribbean states, such as Grenada and Dominica, in their own conservation efforts. When asked about her old nickname of ‘The Crazy Turtle Woman’, Baptiste laughs. “I love being crazy, you know?” she says. “Crazy with a passion, crazy with a dream — totally environmentally crazy.”
This article is courtesy Mohanie Maharaj Administrator of the Turtle Village Trust an NGO, charitable organisation representing a number of community groups actively involved in Turtle Conservation & research, awareness, Agriculture and Community Development programmes throughout Trinidad & Tobago.
The genesis of the Turtle Village Trust was as an initiative of the community groups: Nature Seekers, Save Our Sea Turtle Tobago, Grand Riviere Nature Tour Guide Association and Fishing Pond Turtle Conservation Group together with a vision to make T&T a Premiere Turtle Tourism Destination.
