Nigeria’s coastal waters are home to five species of sea turtles, including the critically endangered
Hawksbill and Leatherback turtles. Yet, they face severe threats from poaching, plastic pollution, and
bycatch in fishing nets.
Doyinsola Ogunye is a conservationist based in Lagos, Nigeria. She founded the first sustainable beach in
Lagos, the Kids Beach Garden, to teach children about the importance of caring for nature while
showing them the need to teach life and environmental lessons through occasional beach clean-ups.
While cleaning the beach, she quickly learned that Lagos’s coastal area is home to endangered turtle species, including the Leatherback, Green, and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. In addition to being killed by ingesting plastics, these turtles are actively targeted by poachers who sell them for meat.
So, she started saving turtles and educating coastal communities about conserving them, which is crucial for ensuring food security. In addition to being killed by ingesting plastics, Turtles are actively targeted by poachers who sell them for meat.
