Sea Turtle Watching
Amidst the whistles of beetles in the clear moonlight or the blinding darkness of after hours, the endangered sea turtle, one of the world's longest-living marine creatures, crawls onto the Rosalie Beach to perform a fascinating nesting ritual. This is typical in Dominica between March and August each year, and for those with some luck who brave the nocturnal challenge it is a lifetime experience!
Four of the seven species of sea turtles visit Dominica's shores.
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The Leatherback turtles are the most common species to visit Dominica during the nesting period. Witnessing a 1500 pound Leatherback nest is an amazing opportunity, and Dominica offers just that!
Sea turtle watching is done only under strict standards to ensure preservation of the species. Community groups along Dominica's eastern/Atlantic coast in La Plaine, Rosaile, Riviere Cyrique, Marrigot, Wesley and Calibishe monitor nested beaches daily, under the umbrella of DomSeTCO working along with WIDECAST and the Forestry Department. These groups and the local communities are at the vanguard of ensuring that everyone follows these standards and that the turtles and their eggs are protected.
Dominica's Turtle Watching Guidelines
The Dominica Sea Turtle Conservation Organisation (DomSeTCO) has continued the work of the Rosalie Sea Turtle Initiative (RoSTI) in training specialised turtle watching guides, and enlightening the local communities.
Nesting females are sensitive to light and movement, so please use as little light as possible moving about quietly. Light and movement can discourage nesting turtles. Trained guides from surrounding communities will know when to use light on the turtles and allow you to touch and photograph them at appropriate times.
- Please keep low and well behind the turtle during nest preparation / egg-laying.
- Please listen carefully to your trained DomSeTCO guide, and feel free to ask any questions.
- Do NOT bring lights onto the beach; a trained guide will lead you to the nesting turtle.
- Do NOT use flash photography; this is very important, it can frighten nesting female turtles and others from coming ashore.
- Do NOT stand in front of the turtle when she is returning to the sea.
- Do NOT handle hatchlings, shine lights on them or use flash photography. Light frightens and disorients hatchlings. Please contact DomSeTCO staff if you feel that nests or hatchlings need attention.
- Do NOT harass nesting or hatchling sea turtles; it is against Dominican law. Call DomSeTCO 767-448-4091 / 767-275-0724 for information / reported sightings.
Please remember we all need to protect and conserve this Endangered Dominican Resource.
