Abstract:
Spatial models determined that even a 0.4 metre rise in local mean sea level could destroy turtle nesting sites. Grande Riviere in Trinidad and Tobago is an important nesting site for leatherback turtles, and eco-tourism an important contributor to Grande Riviere livelihoods. Any significant rise in mean sea level negatively impacting the turtles’ nesting sites will also link negatively to Grande Riviere’s socio-economic wellbeing. The beach is less than a mile long, but during peak nesting seasons more than 5000 turtles will arrive. Data used to construct the models were obtained under conditions existing in many Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
