Development of Leatherback Ecotourism Development of Leatherback Ecotourism ppBased Initiatives in St. Kitts, West Indies Based Initiatives in St. Kitts, West Indies
Kimberly M. Stewart, MS, DVMKimberly M. Stewart, MS, DVM
Andrew J. NibblettAndrew J. NibblettAndrew J. NibblettAndrew J. Nibblett
â˘â˘ BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground
â˘â˘ Leatherback Ecotour Development & Leatherback Ecotour Development & ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation
â˘â˘ Turtle Glass ProjectTurtle Glass Project
â˘â˘ Business CertificationBusiness Certification
St. Kitts & NevisSt. Kitts & NevisSt. Kitts & NevisSt. Kitts & Nevis
â˘â˘ Population: 42,696Population: 42,696ââ St. Kitts: 31,880St. Kitts: 31,880
ââ Nevis: 12,106Nevis: 12,106
â˘â˘ Size: 270 sq km (104 sqSize: 270 sq km (104 sqâ˘â˘ Size: 270 sq km (104 sq Size: 270 sq km (104 sq mi)mi)ââ St. Kitts: 180 sq km (68 sq miles)St. Kitts: 180 sq km (68 sq miles)St. Kitts: 180 sq km (68 sq miles)St. Kitts: 180 sq km (68 sq miles)
ââ Nevis: 93 sq km (36 sq miles)Nevis: 93 sq km (36 sq miles)
â˘â˘ Economy: Tourism Economy: Tourism
St. Kitts Nesting SpeciesSt. Kitts Nesting SpeciesChelonia mydasChelonia mydasââ July through FebruaryJuly through Februaryyy y g yy g y
Dermochelys coriacea Dermochelys coriacea ââ March through JulyMarch through July
Eretmochelys imbricata Eretmochelys imbricata ââ July through FebruaryJuly through February
St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network
â˘â˘ Founded: 2003Founded: 2003Founded: 2003Founded: 2003
â˘â˘ Classification: Community based organizationClassification: Community based organization
ll bll bâ˘â˘ Primary Collaborators:Primary Collaborators:ââ Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM)Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM)
Wid C ibb S T tl C ti N t k (WIDECAST)Wid C ibb S T tl C ti N t k (WIDECAST)ââ Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST)Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST)
ââ St. Kitts Fisheries DepartmentSt. Kitts Fisheries Department
ââ Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC)Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC)g ( )g ( )
ââ Global Environmental FacilityGlobal Environmental Facilityââ Small Grants Programme Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF(UNDP GEFââSGP) SGP)
St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring NetworkSt. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network
â˘â˘ Primary objectives:Primary objectives:y jy jââ To implement, under the direction of the St. Kitts Fisheries To implement, under the direction of the St. Kitts Fisheries
department, a long standing sea turtle conservation management department, a long standing sea turtle conservation management programprogram
ââ To promote community awareness of the plight of sea turtlesTo promote community awareness of the plight of sea turtles
â˘â˘ Organizational Structure:Organizational Structure:â˘â˘ DirectorDirectorDirectorDirectorâ˘â˘ Volunteer CoordinatorVolunteer Coordinatorâ˘â˘ InInââwater Tagging Coordinatorwater Tagging Coordinatorâ˘â˘ Environmental Outreach CoordinatorEnvironmental Outreach Coordinatorâ˘â˘ TreasurerTreasurerâ˘â˘ Glass Project CoordinatorGlass Project Coordinatorâ˘â˘ Sea Turtle TechniciansSea Turtle TechniciansR h A i t tR h A i t tâ˘â˘ Research AssistantsResearch Assistants
â˘â˘ VolunteersVolunteers
â˘â˘ BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground
â˘â˘ Leatherback Ecotour Development & Leatherback Ecotour Development & ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation
â˘â˘ Turtle Glass ProjectTurtle Glass Project
â˘â˘ Business CertificationBusiness Certification
Why the Need?
â˘â˘ SustainabilitySustainability
Alt ti f i b dAlt ti f i b dâ˘â˘ Alternative source of income based on Alternative source of income based on conservation rather than harvestconservation rather than harvest
â˘â˘ Protection of nesting beachesProtection of nesting beaches
â˘â˘ EnforcementEnforcement
Leatherback Ecotour Leatherback Ecotour DevelopmentDevelopmentDevelopment Development
â˘â˘ SurveySurveySurveySurveyââ Citizens Citizens
ââ TouristsTourists
ââ ResidentsResidents
â˘â˘ Delivered by SKSTMN Delivered by SKSTMN yyvolunteers at hotels, volunteers at hotels, port, RUSVM, townport, RUSVM, town
Results
32.4% 43.3% 34.6%27.1%(n=131)
70.7%(n=191)
(n=175) (n=139)(n=110)
67 6%
(n=191)
56 7% 65 4%72 8%67.6%(n=273)
29.2%(n=79)
56.7% (n=229)
65.4%(n=263)
72.8%(n=295)
Results
77.3%
47.1%(n=192)
58.5%(n=238)
56.7% (n=229)
83.2%(n=338)
(n=312)
52 9% 28 2% 22 7%52.9%(n=215)
41.5%(n=169)
28.2%(n=115)
16.8%(n=68)
22.7%(n=92)
ResultsResultsâ˘â˘ Question 1: no difference by classification(p=0.2)Question 1: no difference by classification(p=0.2)
â˘â˘ Question 2: significant difference by classification(p=0.0001) Question 2: significant difference by classification(p=0.0001) with tourists being significantly less likely to know turtles were with tourists being significantly less likely to know turtles were
d ( 6 % 2 / 9) d i h i i (6 9% 0/ )d ( 6 % 2 / 9) d i h i i (6 9% 0/ )around (16.7%; 25/149) compared with citizens (64.9%; 50/77) around (16.7%; 25/149) compared with citizens (64.9%; 50/77) and residents (89.6%; 138/154)and residents (89.6%; 138/154)
â˘â˘ Question 3: significant difference by classification(p=0.0001) Question 3: significant difference by classification(p=0.0001) with tourists being significantly less likely to know network with tourists being significantly less likely to know network exists ( 8/120) compared with citizens (34/72) and residents exists ( 8/120) compared with citizens (34/72) and residents (26/49)(26/49)
ResultsResultsâ˘â˘ Question 4: residents significantly more likely to go than Question 4: residents significantly more likely to go than
tourists (p=0.003); however, majority of tourists say yes (62.7%) tourists (p=0.003); however, majority of tourists say yes (62.7%) (p ); , j y y y ( )(p ); , j y y y ( )â˘â˘ Tourists: Yes: 62.7% (94/150)Tourists: Yes: 62.7% (94/150)
â˘â˘ Citizens: Yes: 68.4% (50/73)Citizens: Yes: 68.4% (50/73)
â˘â˘ Residents Yes: 85.6% (131/153) Residents Yes: 85.6% (131/153)
â˘â˘ Question 5: Majority of all groups willing to pay:Question 5: Majority of all groups willing to pay:Q j y g p g p yQ j y g p g p yâ˘â˘ Tourists: Yes: 64% (96/150)Tourists: Yes: 64% (96/150)
â˘â˘ Citizens: Yes: 64.4% (47/73)Citizens: Yes: 64.4% (47/73)
â˘â˘ Residents Yes: 67.3% (103/153)Residents Yes: 67.3% (103/153)
St. Kitts Pilot Tour PackageSt. Kitts Pilot Tour PackageSt. Kitts Pilot Tour PackageSt. Kitts Pilot Tour Packageâ˘â˘ 10 individuals/beach/night10 individuals/beach/night
â˘â˘ Informational PacketInformational Packet
â˘â˘ 1 local non1 local nonââalcoholic beveragealcoholic beverage
â˘â˘ 40 US per person40 US per personâ˘â˘ Transport Transport ââ 11US11US
â˘â˘ Advertised locally Advertised locally
â˘â˘ 299 tours conducted for the 299 tours conducted for the 2009 pilot season2009 pilot season
â˘â˘ 202 tourists 202 tourists
â˘â˘ 83 residents 83 residents
â˘â˘ 14 citizens14 citizensâ˘â˘ 14 citizens14 citizens
â˘â˘ BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground
â˘â˘ Leatherback Ecotour Development & Leatherback Ecotour Development & ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation
â˘â˘ Turtle Glass ProjectTurtle Glass Project
â˘â˘ Business CertificationBusiness Certification
Turtle Glass ProjectTurtle Glass Project
â˘â˘ WIDECAST AGM WIDECAST AGM 2006 2006
â˘â˘ Site Visit Site Visit December 2008December 2008
â˘â˘ Sensitization Sensitization February 2009February 2009
â˘â˘ Training InitiationTraining InitiationMarch 2009March 2009
St. Kitts Adoption PackageSt. Kitts Adoption Package
â˘â˘ Information PacketInformation Packet
â˘â˘ Adoption CertificateAdoption Certificate
â˘â˘ End of Season SummaryEnd of Season Summaryyy
â˘â˘ GiftGift
â˘â˘ BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground
â˘â˘ Leatherback Ecotour Development & Leatherback Ecotour Development & ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation
â˘â˘ Turtle Glass ProjectTurtle Glass Project
â˘â˘ Business CertificationBusiness Certification
Business CertificationBusiness CertificationBusiness CertificationBusiness Certification
â˘â˘ Establishments in close proximity to nesting Establishments in close proximity to nesting beachesbeachesbeachesbeaches
â˘â˘ VoluntaryVoluntary
â˘â˘ InspectionInspection
â˘â˘ SignageSignage
â˘â˘ Tourist NotificationTourist Notification
â˘â˘ Annual AwardAnnual Awardâ˘â˘ Annual AwardAnnual Award
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgementsâ˘â˘ Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM)Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM)
â˘â˘ Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST)Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST)
â˘â˘ St. Kitts Fisheries DepartmentSt. Kitts Fisheries Department
( )( )â˘â˘ Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC)Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC)
â˘â˘ Global Environmental FacilityGlobal Environmental Facilityââ Small Grants Programme Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF(UNDP GEFââSGP)SGP)(UNDP GEF(UNDP GEFââSGP) SGP)
â˘â˘ Silver ReefSilver Reef