Sea Turtle Nesting Paradise

By Katy Fatiaki, Director – Vatuvara Foundation

Many of the islands we have explored in Fiji’s northern Lau remain much as they were during
the days of early discovery – untouched and unparalleled in beauty.

Four out of seven of the world’s marine turtle species have been documented in Fiji waters,
the critically endangered hawksbill turtles and endangered green turtles are the most
prevalent to nest and forage in the country.

From October to April, sea turtles make their way back to beaches on these remote islands where they were born to lay their eggs. Sea turtles typically lay multiple clutches each season containing an average of 120 eggs, depending on the species. Hatchlings will emerge from their nests after an incubation period of six to eight weeks; then head to the ocean. On average only one in 1,000 sea turtle hatchlings make it to adulthood.

Our survey boat glides over the clear lagoonal waters, on board our trained Vatuvara
Foundation turtle team on their way to conduct nesting beach patrols along the coral sand
beaches. Since 2022, the Vatuvara Foundation funded by Irish Aid, in partnership with the
Yacata Island community, along with Ika Bula Consultants and Amanzi-wai, has been
actively carrying out sea turtle population assessments in northern Lau. Determining the
presence of sea turtle nests and collecting population data can improve an understanding
of population size and conservation measures for management in Fiji.

The first assessments of northern Lau sites have confirmed nesting grounds for both green
and hawksbill turtles. The high number of nests recorded during the two consecutive
seasons, shows how important these nesting grounds are for Fiji’s sea turtle population. If
continued to be monitored and protected, it will contribute towards population recovery of
both species.

The Vatuvara Foundation was founded in 2017 as a local charitable trust in northern Lau, our
conservation efforts include scientific research, education, awareness, community
capacity building, marine monitoring, vulnerable species protection, restoration
programmes, sustainable tourism activities, building climate resiliency and natural disaster
management. Working in partnership with Vatuvara Private Islands , an exclusive resort
located on Kaibu Island in northern Lau, demonstrates a sustainable model for how
conservation and tourism can unite to support research, environment and community.

We identified these Lauan beaches as major nesting sites years ago, and we continue to
prioritise their monitoring for habitat protection. Nesting beach surveys are the most widely
implemented monitoring tool to assess and monitor the status of sea turtle populations. Our
local survey team monitor nesting beaches day and night during the season to identify
tracks, mark nests, encounter hatchlings and nesting females, and examine nests.

Know Your Sea Turtles (Vonu)

The Vatuvara Foundation team has created an informative ‘Know Your Sea Turtles’ poster that highlights the species of Fiji, its life cycle, current regulations, threats to the species and solutions. Available in English and the iTaukei language, the poster provides sea turtle conservation awareness and is available for distribution to communities, schools, and youth groups.