Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort
Experience Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy
Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy is a program that offers meaningful travel, allowing you the opportunity to create a positive impact as you explore and build deeper connections in local communities when you stay in our hotels.
With over 100 curated experiences, the program focuses on three pillars – Environmental Protection, Community Engagement, and Marine Conservation.
Discover how you can contribute meaningfully to engage in Marine Conservation with us at Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort.
The issue/challenge
The sea turtle population is plummeting due to excessive commercial fishing and turtle egg poaching.
The guest experience
Volunteer at a Turtle Hatchery: Why It Matters
The impact
Conserve Sea Turtle Nests and Care for Sick and Injured Turtles
Volunteer at a Turtle Hatchery: Why It Matters
Sea turtle population plummeting due to excessive commercial fishing
Sri Lanka is home to five of the seven species of sea turtles, with nesting grounds along the shores of the island. For generations, sea turtles have flocked to Sri Lanka’s beaches during their nesting season.
Recently, these locations have become increasingly dangerous for them. With the rise of commercial fishing, as well as the increase in the poaching of turtle eggs from both human and animal predators, the population has dwindled significantly and is at risk of becoming endangered.
Whilst adult turtles lack many natural predators, baby turtles often find themselves as prey for other sea creatures – meaning that high numbers of turtle eggs need to survive for the population to thrive. Poorly managed turtle hatcheries have also impacted the number of eggs that survive the incubation period and eventually hatch.
Volunteer at a Turtle Hatchery: The Experience
Conserve Sea Turtle Nests and Care for Sick and Injured Turtles
In partnership with the Kosgoda Turtle Conservation Centre, Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort invites guests to help rescue endangered Sri Lankan Sea turtles.
The Kosgoda Turtle Conservation Centre helps nesting mother turtles safely transport their eggs to a secure environment, incubates these eggs, and safely releases the hatched baby turtles back to the sea. While staying at the Sheraton Kosgoda Turtle Beach Resort, guests are invited to:
- Learn about sea turtle conservation in Sri Lanka and what you can do to help
- Help experts in conserving sea turtle nests and monitor mother turtles who come to the beaches to nest
- Assist with the care and rehabilitation of injured sea turtles
Volunteer at a Turtle Hatchery: The Impact
Preserving Sri Lanka’s Endangered Sea Turtles
The Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project is run by volunteers committed to preserving the endangered marine life of Sri Lanka. The center relies on donations and volunteers to help protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction.
The hatchery monitors local sea turtle activity, conserves local nesting sites, rescues eggs from the clutches of potential predators (or poachers), hatches and returns the baby turtles back to the ocean. Some turtles from each hatching are kept at the sanctuary for a short period to give them a better chance for survival once released into the wild.
The project aims to increase public awareness around preserving marine life. Trained volunteers are on hand to show the different types of turtles and educate guests further about their conservation initiatives.
By helping at the center, guests will play a meaningful role in the effort to save these endangered creatures.
