Brightwater Sea Turtle Monitoring Project – Southern Belize

Protecting an Endangered Species, One Nest at a Time

In the crystal-blue waters of southern Belize, something amazing is happening: a growing team of kids, community members, and scientists is coming together to protect one of the world’s most endangered animals—the hawksbill sea turtle.

These turtles are quiet heroes of the ocean. They help coral reefs stay healthy and balanced, but their numbers are dropping fast due to poaching, pollution, and habitat loss. That’s where Brightwater Climate and the local community step in.

What We’re Doing

With the help of trained volunteers from across southern Belize, we’re monitoring turtle nests, tagging adult females, and collecting data on baby hatchlings. These efforts help us learn how many hawksbills are nesting in the area—and how we can protect them for generations to come.

One special place, Nicholas Caye, had 85 nests in one season—a strong sign this might be one of the most important turtle nesting sites in the region!

Why It Matters

This is the first time anyone has done a deep dive into hawksbill nesting in southern Belize. The information we’re collecting will help us:

• Build a long-term turtle protection plan

• Train and hire local youth and families to be conservation leaders

• Share real-time data with scientists around the world

• Inspire a new generation of ocean guardians 

We’re working with experts at Stantec—the same team behind one of the largest turtle monitoring projects in Australia—to make sure this project is rooted in science and designed to grow.

🧭 What’s Next

We're raising funds for the Feasibility Study Phase, which includes:

• Mapping turtle nesting beaches and threats

• Conducting on-site surveys and tagging turtles

• Training local volunteers

• Writing a plan for a long-term monitoring program

🌊 How You Can Help

Every gift—big or small—helps keep this community-led conservation effort alive.

Gift Level What It Supports

$25. Buys paint and wood for local “Nest Here!” signs like the one above

$100 Provides field notebooks and data tools for a youth volunteer

$500 Supports nest monitoring and hatchling tracking on remote beaches

$1,000+ Helps fund satellite tags for tracking turtle migration patterns

$10,000+ Supports comprehensive data analysis and reporting in partnership with marine scientists

🌎 Want to Dive Deeper?

Learn how this project could connect to long-term environmental funding through biodiversity credits, conservation finance, and blue carbon initiatives.

🔗 Explore the Science Behind the Study →
🔗 NOAA: Hawksbill Turtle Conservation Status →