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St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network Wins Most Eco-friendly Business
04/09/10
A leatherback sea turtle nesting in St. Kitts during the 2008 nesting season. (Photograph courtesy of Sara Ramirez.)
The St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network (SKSTMN) was awarded a Tourism Award in 2009 for being the most eco-friendly business in St. Kitts. The director of SKSTMN is RUSVM alumnus and assistant professor Dr. Kimberly Stewart, who is currently starting the annual monitoring of sea turtle nesting beaches where leatherback turtles lay their eggs during the night.
Monitoring of leatherback sea turtles on the beaches of Keys and North Friars in St. Kitts began on April 1, 2010, and is part of Dr. Stewart’s RUSVM-funded research project, “Evaluating the effect of sampling site on hematologic and plasma biochemistry data in leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea).” The leatherback nesting season extends through August 2010, and includes a team of volunteers who monitor the beaches nightly to conduct research about the health of this critically endangered species.
Dr. Stewart accepted the award at the Ninth Annual Tourism Awards Banquet in October 2009. A highlight of St. Kitts Tourism Month, the banquet brought together industry leaders and professionals in recognition of their efforts in the various tourism sector businesses in St. Kitts. In attendance at the event were the Governor General, His Excellency Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian; Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas; Minister of State Ricky Skerritt; ministers of government and various stakeholders of the tourism industry, including board members of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority and Chief Executive Officer Rosecita Jeffers.
The award presentation highlighted the partnership of SKSTMN with the St. Kitts Tourism Authority in a new eco-friendly approach to tourism at various sea turtle nesting sites in St. Kitts. As part of this initiative, Dr. Stewart noted that one of the main objectives of her organization is establishing a community-based, long-term sea turtle program involving as many persons as possible in monitoring the local sea turtle population.
Founded in 2003, SKSTMN is a nonprofit organization which monitors nesting sea turtle populations and acts as an advocate for the strengthening of sea turtle protection laws.
