Sea Turtles in Ghana

Emmanuel Kuhameh, a young Ghanaian, was walking along the beach one day and came across a group of men chopping up a sea turtle. Deeply affected by this experience, he founded the Sun & Moon Turtle Foundation to help change his community's attitudes toward sea turtles and their protection. He has begun to help fishermen and the village of Teshie understand that turtles can bring tourists which pay much more than a few fish caught every day. These photos here are from my months of helping Emmanuel with his laudable efforts.

One day, Emmanuel rescued a male sea turtle from the fishermen's nets - an incredible rarity because only females come back on land to lay eggs. The long tail in this photo shows the male sea turtle.
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Emmanuel also rescued a female in the process, so he released a male and female in the afternoon.
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sea turtles sea turtle conservation turtle conservation Ghana Africa coastal conservation ocean conservation accra
Skin on one of the turtle's flippers.
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This is one of the spurs on the male sea turtle. The 20 pesewa coin is about the size of a quarter.
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A barnacle on the turtle's shell.
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Emmanuel helps the male sea turtle crawl down the beach to the water.
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A crowd gathers, like usual, to witness the sea turtles' return to the ocean.
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Two little Ghanaian girls try to help one of the turtles.
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A turtle is finally free.
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Emmanuel holds the turtles until about 3:00 in the afternoon to protect them from fishermen who might still be out. He creates a makeshift pool to keep the turtles cool.
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Emmanuel's dogs are intrigued by the alien creature in their yard.
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The cat was very curious as well!
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Emmanuel checks to make sure that the turtle is healthy and breathing well before releasing her.
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The people who were able to help this turtle make it to the beach signed her shell.
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A young girl isn't quite sure what to think about the turtle crawling to sea.
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Emmanuel and his friend help the sea turtle get to the water quickly as she was very tired from being caught in the nets and struggling in the boats back to shore.
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A crowd gathers as Emmanuel sets this Olive Ridley sea turtle free from fishermen's nets or a turtle soup kitchen.
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Emmanuel helps the turtle by giving her a nudge out to sea.
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Emmanuel lets the turtles go at around 3:00 in the afternoon, well after all of the fishing vessels have returned to shore and there is no danger of the turtles being caught again.
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The face of an endangered species, the Olive Ridley sea turtle.
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A crowd gathers as Emmanuel releases a sea turtle. Emmanuel uses this crowd as an educational tool and helps Teshie residents understand the value of keeping turtles alive. Heated debates often occur.
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Emmanuel believes that helping kids understand the value of sea turtles is ultimately the solution to the village tradition of killing turtles for food.
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Emmanuel has fenced off a piece of the beach where he lets female turtles lay their eggs, protected from dogs and people who seek to dig the eggs up.
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A female Olive Ridley sea turtle awaits freedom.
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Emmanuel Kuhamah, a young Ghanaian, lives here and rents out his second bedroom to put money into his turtle conservation efforts.
sea turtles sea turtle conservation turtle conservation Ghana Africa coastal conservation ocean conservation accra