A record number of community conservation rangers are preparing the way for nesting marine turtles to come ashore in the Conflict Islands, Papua New Guinea, in a program supported by the guest-funded P&O Pacific Partnership.

Sixteen rangers – double the number in 2020 – are removing debris and clearing coastal erosion to provide a clear path for the turtles to lay their eggs as part of the work undertaken by the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI).

Their work marks the beginning of the annual nesting season which includes tagging and monitoring endangered Green and critically endangered Hawksbill marine turtles and giving turtle hatchlings the best chance of survival.

Recruitment and training of the rangers, who are all from neighbouring PNG islands, is part of the CICI’s partnership with P&O Cruises Pacific Partnership program to monitor marine turtle populations and to develop a long-term tagging and nesting program.

The Conflict Islands are one of the most remote inhabited archipelagos in the world, and since 2016 P&O has taken guests on memorable holidays to Panasesa Island, one of 21 coral cays in the atoll.

In 2018, valuable guest donations to P&O’s Pacific Partnership helped CICI launch its first Turtle Sanctuary and unique Turtle Interaction Tour which allowed guests to feed baby turtle hatchlings and learn about the important sustainability work happening on the ground in the Conflict Islands.

The CICI team was also able to upgrade its eight 2,500-litre tanks used to house hatchlings prior to their release into the Coral Sea, and install a bronze saltwater pump to improve water flow and the overall health and environment of the nursery facility.

Last year, the CICI also celebrated the record release of 13,672 endangered turtle species as part of the charity’s long-term tagging and nesting program.

P&O Cruises Australia guests can continue to show their support for the efforts being carried out by the CICI by visiting www.cici.org.au/donate.