Panama gives sea turtles legal rights and protection

Why was the new legislation necessary?

Sea turtle poaching in Panama became a serious issue during the pandemic, as the country relies heavily on tourism for its income.

Without a steady stream of money being brought in by visitors, citizens began poaching nesting turtles and harvesting their eggs from nearby beaches to earn additional income.

During this period, conservation groups reported that around 90 percent of leatherback eggs were taken from nests and later sold for their meat and shells. This activity was already illegal in Panama, however, the law had not been well enforced.

Based on current assessments, this kind of activity has continued at a rate higher than pre-pandemic levels despite the return of ecotourism in Panama.

To combat this, conservation groups began lobbying for stronger legal frameworks that offered clearer protection for the turtles, as well as increased monitoring mechanisms and harsher fines for breaching the law.

Under the new legislation, sea turtles have been granted rights to live within an environment free of pollution. It will also prevent dangerous human activity such as ‘climate change, incidental capture, coastal development, and unregulated tourism.’

This means it will hold accountable developers and tourism operators whose plans cause disruptions to sea turtle habitats. It also makes illegal any activity that seeks to earn profit from sea turtles, whether that be from their meat or their eggs.

Recognising the rights of animals, especially those living in ecosystems already under threat from climate change, is a key part of ensuring our natural world is protected.

Conservation groups based in Panama will now push for countries in the Caribbean, which are home to various species of sea turtles, to adopt similar legislation. Yes, Panama!