News
Leatherback Sea Turtles, the largest turtles in the world, are facing significant threats from climate change, habitat loss, and artificial lighting. These ocean giants, known for their incredible migration journeys, rely on a few crucial nesting sites to lay their eggs. The Refuge System plays a vital role in protecting these habitats. Discover how you can help protect Leatherback Sea Turtles and support our conservation initiatives.
Jessica Castro-Prieto and her team recently completed the nesting reporting for the 2021 nesting season which extends from April to July. 1,545 leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nests were reported, with the municipalities of Dorado, Añasco, Maunabo, Luquillo, and Arecibo accounting for 70 percent of the total nesting activity in the island.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER), and various community-based groups are working together to reduce major threats affecting leatherback nesting beaches around Puerto Rico with funding provided by the National Fish and Widlife Foundation (NFWF).
Our work in Puerto Rico is diverse, all in support of wildlife conservation. Your support to the National Wildlife Refuge Association allows us to hire professional staff that can provide technical and administrative support to the National Wildlife Refuge System and adjoining lands to help protect and conserve critical habitats and endangered species.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association recently hosted training in Puerto Rico where National Association for Interpretation presented certificates to 14 participants who successfully completed Certified Interpretative Guide training!
This training will help local Friends Groups better assist USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System in Puerto Rico, like Cabo Rojo and Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuges, Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, and Culebra National Wildlife Refuge.
