Nesting Behavior of Sea Turtles in Mvundeni and Kiwayu, Lamu Seascape

Sea turtles are globally threatened including Kenya where they are legally protected. A lot of efforts have been put to conserve these species, including involvement of local communities. Understanding the nesting behavior of sea turtle in seashores has been considered as one of the conservation strategies. The author investigated the spatio-temporal patterns of sea turtle nesting activity monitored over 3 successive years between Kiwayu and Mvundeni beach locations in the Lamu seascape, Kenya. Also, the author investigated the physical characteristics relevant to sea turtle nest site selection. Community-based patrols were conducted on 10 stretches of beach grouped in two major locations (Mvundeni: 6 beaches while Kiwayu: 4 beaches).