Public encouraged to help save vulnerable turtle species

They have been listed as the most vulnerable turtle species - with conservationists saying the Leatherback turtle is even more rare than the black rhino. 

In a move to prevent a possible extinction, iSimangaliso Wetland Parks has been working closely with conservationists and communities on the north coast using turtle monitoring. 

The park's CEO Andrew Zaloumis says the monitoring programme - which has been taking place for the past five decades - has helped to protect these animals and enabled for cutting edge research to be done.  

"iSimangaliso is the last significant breeding site of leatherback and loggerhead turtles in Africa. We have less than a hundred of these turtles coming to lay eggs on the beaches every year. Only 1% actually makes it back to the beaches eight or nine years later to lay again, and that's really because when they leave our shores - sharks eat them, other predators eat them and of course offshore netting," he said.

Zaloumis adds that public awareness/ support is, in the long-term, the bottom line for the survival for these endangered species of turtle. 

"I think supporting turtles takes many forms - for instance - clearly being aware of them, not leaving litter around, being proactive, attending beach clean-up days and also taking a very active role around the areas of fisheries, not over fishing and making sure parts of the coastlines are protected," he said. 

LISTEN BELOW: Zaloumis has encouraged the public to actively learn more about the conservation of endangered species: