The Reptile and Amphibian Program–Sierra Leone (RAP-SL) on Saturday 18th April 2026 organized a day’s awareness-raising campaign along the Western Area Peninsula shoreline of Sierra Leone for sea turtles, manates and mangroves at the Ocean View Center, Tokeh.
The aim of the campaign is to ensure that sea turtles and manates are protected according to the wildlife laws of Sierra Leone. Within the Turtle Islands, the local fine for killing a sea turtle is Six Hundred Leone (Le600 while the Fisheries Bill of Sierra Leone has fines and jail time for killing of threatenend and endangered marine species in the country Therefore, in order to raise the awareness of locals about the laws and fines, RAP-SL annually engage coastal communities about these conservation measures put in place by the government of Sierra Leone.
For the present workshop, participants, including Headmen, Habour Masters and monitors from Tokeh, Tombo, One Pole, Kent, Borbor, York, Aberdeen and Black Johnson were brought together in Tokeh. Together, they made salient inputs for the protection of the two spieces and their habitates in Sierra Leone. Some recommendations advanced by the participants included regular campaign about the conservation of the species and their habitats, helping coastal communities in diverse ways and supporting community youths in the monitoring effort.
According to the Founder and Managing Director of the program, Mr. Edward Aruna, RAP-SL started in 2012 and since then such engagements are held yearly but due to limited funding in recent years, most activities have been cut down so also it is with Monitors who are vulunteers. Mr Aruna encouraged all participants to take action for the protection and conservation of Sierra Leone Natural Resources including sea turtles, manates and mangroves. He further informed participants that all threatened and endangered species are protected worldwide and should therefore not be killed. Sea turtles and manatees should be released if caught, while mangroves should b protected for a healthy marine life. .
He also informed the gathering that RAP-SL is continuing its sensitization campaigns through the distribution of awareness raising materials including billboards, calenders, T-shirts, brochures etc., all in the effort of supporting the government of Sierra Leone in raising the awareness of the general populace.
RAP-SL is also working with locals fishermen and youths as turtle monitors for the enforcement of laws protecting turtles, manates, crocodiles, mangroves and other protected species in the country.
Mr. Edward Aruna went on to disclose that they conduct yearly monitoring to ascertain the number of sea turtles and manates in the bycatch while also monitoring nesting beaches. Mr Aruna reiterated that there are seven species of sea turtles worldwide but Sierra Leone so far has five and all five are nesting on beaches in the country.
Sea Turtles nests are adversely affected by climate change thereby resulting in hatching of more females than males. Having more females than males in sea turtle population could likely result in the crashing of their population.
As for manatees, he said the cutting of mangroves, coastal erosion, and coastal siltation, coupled with fishing in the breeding and foraging areas of the species are impacting the population of the species in the country
He furthered that manates bear one child, though they rarely give birth to twins informing that they feed on mangroves, sea weeds and grasses.
In Sierra Leone, the reviewed Wildlife Act has included both sea turtles and manatees as protected animals so therefore they are protected by law.
As means of benefiting coastal communities, RAP-SL has, over the years, constructed office spaces, water wells, community centers, over 100 improved ovens, provided solar lights and supported schools in its operational areas. RAP-SL hopes to continue in this direction.
Highlights of the well-attended and highly interactive session were questions and answers, and recommendation sessions.