24 Aug Denis Island exhibits at the Seychelles Sea Turtle Festival 2015

On Saturday 8th August, Denis Private Island’s environment staff teamed up with Green Islands Foundation (GIF) and North Island to participate in the third annual Seychelles Sea Turtle Festival.

Throughout the day the team hosted exciting educational games showcasing their love for sea turtles and promoting sea turtle conservation on Denis Island and in Seychelles.

The festival was hosted on Beau Vallon beach, and many environmental organizations and interested individuals participated, all of whom share a passion for marine turtles. The aim of the festival is to raise awareness of the conservation and need for protection of these endangered turtles among the general public.

Denis Private Island hosts healthy breeding populations of both Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles, which is unique in the inner islands. The team was able to show what makes the island special and attractive for the turtles. They decorated their tent with colourful pictures and messages and displayed specimens of a Hawksbill turtle, an uncommon creature that the majority of the people on Mahé have never seen.

They also hosted other activities like ‘Pin the Turtle’, ‘Turtle Egg-laying Relay Race’ and ‘Face Painting’. Children left the Denis Private Island stand with sparkly turtle tattoos. Through the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ game the public learnt interesting facts about sea turtles and turtle conservation work carried out on Denis Private Island. The lucky winners of the star prize are Kyle Marie and Michel Valentin. Michel won a reef safari excursion kindly donated by Denis Private Island and Mason’s Travel and Kyle won a digital camera sponsored by North Island.

Denis Private Island environment staff would like to thank the dedicated organizers for the excellent coordination, and GIF and North Island whose assistance was invaluable in making this year’s Sea Turtle festival a success.