Sri Lanka’s Balapitiya region contains some of the most scenic and glamorous beaches on the planet, with Bentota being a prime destination for beach goers looking to experience unspoilt sandy beaches in amidst a tropical paradise. Little do they know that these pristine beaches are the home of creatures that are fast becoming extinct. These creatures are the local sea turtles whose numbers have been steadily dwindling ever since the late eighties. Dudley Perera, decided to build an initiative that will seek to protect and preserve the sea-turtle population of his island nation, and in 1988 founded the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project.
If you’re eager to visit the project, and seek a place of accommodation among the selection of Balapitiya hotels that will not in any way damage the habitats of the island’s sea-creatures, then you should consider Shinagawa Beach Balapitiya, a hotel that is built on a secluded and private beach that is away from any Sea Turtle Nesting sites. The main goal of Dudley Perera’s initiative is to protect and conserve these nesting while simultaneously making the public aware of the issue at hand.
To facilitate the reproduction of the Sea Turtles, a hatchery was built within the safety of the project. Volunteers of the project head out and collect un-hatched eggs and carry them away from the reach of predators and place them in the sanctuary of the hatchery. When the eggs have hatched, the hatchlings are retained for a short period before being released in order to give them an advantageous head-start. This is essential since these creatures face many dangers and only a small proportion ever makes it to adulthood. The project relies heavily on grants and donations and every year the initiative helps to protect certain beaches that are a hotspot for nesting grounds.
The project still goes strong even after the devastation that resulted from the Tsunami of December 2004. Do what you can to ensure the livelihood of not only the sanctuary’s inhabitants, but of an entire species.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.Google+