WIDECAST

STCB staff will swim around Klein Bonaire to raise $11,000 for sea turtle research in Lac. Will you support them?

At the end of July, our Field team – Field Coordinator Daan and Intern Extraordinaire Kate – will swim a full circle around Klein Bonaire (a whopping 11km!) to raise funds for sea turtle research in Lac Bay. Why? Well, we are in desperate need of two new research nets…

Lac Bay – with its beautiful seagrass meadows – is actually Bonaire’s most important foraging ground for green sea turtles. In fact, research by Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) over the past twenty years has shown that turtles in Lac Bay grow significantly faster than turtles on the west coast of our island. And… faster growth rates allow sea turtles to reach adulthood at an earlier age, meaning they can start having babies in their twenties instead of their thirties – good news!

That said, we do notice that growth rates have been decreasing slightly in the bay. This may be caused by a number of factors, such as invasive seagrass, poor water quality and diseases; or other factors that we have yet to discover. To continue to collect data, to monitor the situation and to learn more about those potential factors affecting the growth rates of sea turtles in Lac, we need new material. The research net that we currently use to capture sea turtles is in desperate need of retirement.

So, back to Daan and Kate and their swim around Klein Bonaire – another important foraging (and nesting) area for sea turtles. To raise $11,000, needed to purchase two new nets, Daan and Kate – who have no experience swimming long distances – are determined to swim around Klein Bonaire in one go. They started training in the beginning of June and have about six weeks to get ready as their swim is scheduled for the week of 29th July.

We are hoping that you will help us to continue our work in Lac Bay by supporting our ‘11K for Lac Bay’ campaign. You can donate here and please don’t forget to share our campaign with fellow turtle lovers!

A few notes:

• All donations will go to Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire - through the PayPal account of WIDECAST (widecast.org).

• The nets will be purchased from ‘Nettenfabriek De Noordzee’ in the Netherlands. Each net costs EUR 5.112,80 excluding tax and shipping.

• The swim will be conducted in the week of 29th July. A day will be chosen based on weather conditions.

• Daan and Kate will be accompanied by STCB’s boat with captains and medical staff.

• If, due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel the swim, we will come up with an alternative and we will keep all supporters informed.

Joshua Mateo Fortes-Jordan 6/23/2004-8/13/2022

In memory of our loving son and brother, we ask that you make a donation to sea turtle conservation in lieu of flowers. Mateo was passionate about saving sea turtles after first swimming with them at the Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire Agency in the Caribbean. We ask that all donations be made to Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire via WIDECAST, the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network.

About WIDECAST:

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit WIDECAST: Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, Inc. (Widecast), and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about WIDECAST: Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network, Inc. (Widecast): Working through active partnerships in more than 40 nations, WIDECAST's goal is to realize a future where all inhabitants of the Wider Caribbean Region, human and sea turtle alike, can live together in balance. To this end, we provide Government and NGO stakeholders with updated information on the status of sea turtles, specific recommendations for their management and recovery, and a framework for effective collaboration among nations. WIDECAST is a Partner Organization to the UN Environment Programme in the Caribbean Region, providing a model for other regions to follow with regard to international collaboration in the protection of migratory marine species.

About Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire:

Our Mission

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire’s mission is to ensure that Bonaire’s sea turtles have a secure future, and to connect people to sea turtle conservation in ways that inspire caring for nature.

Vision & Values

STCB is a model of excellence for sea turtle research and conservation. We are:

Credible: We are role models, use best practices, are transparent, communicate with integrity, are independent and do not compromise on our values.

Engaged. We are part of the Community. We train professionals and educate the new generation about Bonaire’s natural capital, with focus on sea turtles.

Responsible. We are accountable towards our stakeholders, we manage our NGO effectively, care for our staff/volunteers. We offer fair trade products.

Passionate. We are passionate about sea turtles and what we do. We explore our passion and have dedicated and committed people involved.

Professional. We are experts in our field of research and monitoring, are protocol driven, with a high standard of practice, are well documented and always on call.

Accountable. We manage our funding, finances, organisation, resources and daily operations in a sustainable way and with a long-term vision.