We are pleased to announce the publication of SWOT Report—The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, Vol. XVI! You can download a PDF here or browse all of the articles here.
Published annually since 2006, SWOT Report features success stories, innovations, and new findings in sea turtle conservation, management, and research from around the world. The report is produced in collaboration with a global network of sea turtle researchers and conservationists, and then given back to the community free-of-charge for use in outreach and education efforts.
Highlights from Volume 16 Include:
- A global feature on olive ridley turtles — “Olive Ridleys: The Quirky Turtles That Conquered the World” — including all new global maps of olive ridley nesting, satellite telemetry, arribada sites and trends, and more.
The report includes a global feature on olive ridley turtles. © Arghya Adhikary
- “Sea Turtle Stories from Behind the Lens of Thomas Peschak,” a feature on the breathtaking photography of National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak, who spent years photographing sea turtles worldwide for a recent National Geographic Magazine article.
A feature by National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak tells the stories behind his most iconic sea turtle images. © Thomas P. Peschak
- A look at key conservation issues including fisheries bycatch in Trinidad, plastic pollution globally, and hawksbill shell trade.
The report includes new information on a range of threats to sea turtles including plastic pollution. © Ben J. Hicks / benjhicks.com
- Stories on the impacts of COVID-19 on sea turtle conservation programs in Brazil, Costa Rica, Greece, India, Kenya, the Maldives, Oman, Philippines, and beyond.
Sea turtle projects worldwide report on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the new SWOT Report. © Naomi Branna courtesy of Gary Stokes/OceansAsia
- Expert answers to Frequently Asked Questions about sea turtles and climate change impacts, basking behavior, and navigation.
About the State of the World’s Sea Turtles Program
Founded in 2003, SWOT is a partnership among Oceanic Society, the IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, Duke University’s OBIS-SEAMAP, and a growing international network of institutions and individuals. This powerful group—the SWOT Team—works to compile and publish global sea turtle data that support conservation and management efforts at the international, national, and local scales. Learn more about Oceanic Society’s global sea turtle conservation programs here.
