tortue

BOURAIL

Help save the marine turtles with us

It was at dawn on a day in January 2006, when the three founders of the association, Emmanuel Hernu, Fabrice Jallier and Dominique Lafage, went to check the quality of the waves for a surfing session, and discovered hundreds of baby turtles crushed on the road beside the Roche Percée beach. Having already seen a number of nests attacked by stray dogs, this slaughter decided them to take action. Supported from the outset by institutions (Province Sud, Aquarium des Lagons, Bourail town hall) and local associations (ASNNC, WWF NC), they quickly got in touch with scientists Colin and Duncan Limpus (Australia) and Georges Balazs (Hawaii), who trained them in the protection of sea turtles and their nesting sites. The founders soon realised that it was essential to revegetate the upper beach and they embarked on an intensive reforestation programme between the road and the beach. This was the start of our adventure...

BWÄRÄ in ACTION

All our interventions converge towards a single goal: to protect turtles and their egg-laying sites on the Bourail coastline.

Bébé Tortue

Monitoring of marine turtles

The beaches of Bourail (La Roche Percée and Turtle Bay) represent the first nesting site for Big-headed Turtles (Caretta caretta) in New Caledonia, and the second site in the South Pacific. The first site is located in Australia, at Mon Repos (Bundaberg).

Reboisement

Reforestation

Of the coastline and watersheds. Bourail is at the heart of the Western Coastal Zone (WCZ), classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Mesure de tortue

Education

The third part of the association's action is to raise public awareness about the protection of marine turtles and the environment in general.

 

 

Bwärä Tortues Marines
is a non-profit association, founded in 2006.

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Volunteers

By the day, at the weekend, for a stay of one month or more, do not hesitate to contact us to invest yourself by our side.

Bénévoles
Vue aérienne

AMAZING BEACHES

First spawning site for large-headed turtles (Caretta caretta) in New Caledonia, and second spawning site in the South Pacific. The use of this place by marine turtles allows us to carry out scientific monitoring of the breeding population and to set up concrete protection and conservation actions.

We are working to restore beaches by reforesting the coastline through our nursery composed of nearly 7,000 trees, 80% of which are endemic species, and the implementation of standardized access.

Daily actions