Sea Turtle Conservation Project

About the project

Protecting Zanzibar’s Sea Turtles

A decade ago, the waters around Mnemba Island were home to thriving populations of Green and Hawksbill turtles. Today, only a few remain. Sea turtles are essential for healthy oceans—they keep marine habitats balanced, support coral reefs and seagrass beds, and help maintain a stable food web.

Despite being protected by law, turtles in Zanzibar are still threatened. They are hunted for their meat, and their eggs are frequently poached. With survival rates naturally as low as 1 in 1,000 hatchlings, every nest truly matters.

Female turtles return to the beach every 2–3 years to lay between 50 and 200 eggs. After a 50–60 day incubation period, the hatchlings emerge and instinctively crawl toward the ocean. If they survive predators and human pressures, they will return to the same beach 20–35 years later to nest again.

The Sea Turtle Nesting Centre at Meliá Hotel

In 2020, Under The Wave and Meliá Hotel created the Sea Turtle Nesting Center — a safe sanctuary where threatened turtle nests can develop without the risk of poaching or disturbance.

Local community members alert us when they find turtle tracks or nests. Our marine biologists then carefully relocate the eggs to the hatchery, where they are protected around the clock.
Each year, approximately 25 nests—roughly 2,500 eggs—are relocated and monitored.

Meliá Hotel supports the project by providing trained guards who keep watch day and night. Weekly beach surveys allow our team to track nesting activity, identify new nests, and train hotel staff in turtle monitoring and conservation practices.

Our goal is simple: to increase the survival chances of hatchlings by protecting nests from harmful human impacts. Relocating nests is sometimes necessary — and currently the safest method to help restore the turtle population in Zanzibar.

Baby turtle videos

Involving the Matemwe Community

Community involvement is key to long-term success. We meet with the village chief and the fisherman committees around Matemwe. Together, we discuss the impacts of illegal hunting and poaching, the ecological importance of turtles, and how conservation supports both the environment and the community.

To create deeper, lasting change, we invest in education. Through our Environmental Education Program, schoolchildren learn about marine ecosystems, the role turtles play, and why protecting them is essential for the future of Zanzibar’s ocean.

Partnership With the Government

We work closely with the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy to strengthen conservation efforts. In 2025, we began training the ministry’s rangers on sea turtle monitoring, biology, and protection techniques. This collaboration will continue in the years ahead to ensure the long-term recovery of turtle populations.

Support Zanzibar’s Sea Turtles

You can help restore the turtle population in Zanzibar.
Your donation directly supports the sea turtle hatchery and the protection of vulnerable nests.