Kenya's battle to protect sea turtles at sea and on land

A matured Loggerhead Sea turtle released by staff from Local conservation makes its way back into the ocean, in Watamu on May 23, 2025. [AFP]

Kenya’s sea turtles, five of the world’s seven species, are facing mounting threats from poaching, plastic pollution, and entanglement in fishing gear. 

Along the coast, community-led groups and conservation NGOs are racing to save them—guarding nests, releasing hatchlings, and even using photo identification to track populations offshore.