Kama Dean has worked extensively on community conservation issues, with a focus on the Baja California peninsula. She managed the Grupo Tortuguero de las Californias, or Sea Turtle Conservation Network of the Californias, overseeing their monitoring, education and network building programs.
Q. You play an important role in Pro Peninsula, especially with regards to the sea turtles, can you please explain what Pro Peninsula does, and what it does for the sea turtles?
A. Pro Peninsula is dedicated to strengthening individual and community efforts to protect the natural environment throughout the Baja California peninsula. Our programs span sea turtle conservation, environmental education, advocacy and more, but one thing is the same throughout all of our work: It is carried out at the community level, by community members, with the fundamental goal of involving communities in long-term conservation of their natural resources.
As far as sea turtle conservation goes, Pro Peninsula is home to various sea turtle research and conservation programs including working with Grupo Tortuguero, Proyecto Caguama loggerhead conservation program, and Carey! Hawksbill recovery program.
Q. Can you explain a little bit about the types of sea turtles you deal with and where they are from?
A. Five species of sea turtle are found in the waters surrounding the Baja California peninsula. Black sea turtles migrate from southern Mexico to grow and feed in the bays and lagoons around the peninsula. The loggerhead sea turtles migrate from Japan to feed off of the Pacific Coast of the peninsula until they reach maturity and return to Japan to nest. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the Sea of Cortez; however, their origins (where they nest, where they are migrating from) are still a mystery. Olive Ridley turtles feed and nest around the peninsula and the Sea of Cortez, with their main nesting areas in southern Mexico. And the leatherback turtle nests along the southern tip of the peninsula, migrating from areas off Alaska and California.
Q. The sea turtles are in danger right now, can you explain their current threats?
A. Currently, the greatest threats to sea turtles around the peninsula are accidental capture in fishing gear (bycatch) and direct capture, or poaching, for consumption and illegal trade. Habitat destruction and pollution are also major threats to turtles, to a lesser degree in Baja, but a major problem in other areas of the world.
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