Our goal is to build Haiti's first sea turtle hospital, which would incorporate rescue and rehabilitation. The hospital would need funding for all necessary equipment, holding pools, and supplies to respond to strandings, confiscated or wounded turtles with the goal to release them back to their ocean home. We also require funding for research, satellite tagging, community outreach and education, monitoring of nesting sites and protection of turtle nests. It is also important that we can enlist the necessary veterinary expertise to support the care of rescued turtles and training of Haiti Ocean Project volunteers.

Our goal is to treat sick and injured sea turtles. Our treatment protocol is from rescue to release – which means that sea turtle patients are released as soon as they are medically cleared. If a patient is deemed non-releasable, we would discuss keeping it at our facility permanently or transferring to another sea turtle facility elsewhere in the Caribbean or the United States.

1. Elkin EDR3 system and x-ray machine - ($35,000 value)
Donated by equine vet Dr. Harry Werner, owner of Werner Equine, North Granby, Connecticut
2. Three (3) plastic 4x4x2 sea turtle tanks – ($3,000 value)

Donated by Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton, Florida

3. Two (2) plastic 8x6x4 sea turtle pools – ($5,000 value)

Donated by University of Florida aquatic vet Craig Pelton

4. Two (20 lead aprons – ($400 value)

Donated by University of Florida aquatic vet Michael Walsh

5. Solar power system (including inverter, solar panels and batteries) – ($2,500 value)
Donated by John Boulos, Port au Prince

Special thanks to all the individuals for their donations, which have helped us tremendously in our efforts to further develop our marine conservation center and protect Haiti’s marine life.


THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF HAITI OCEAN PROJECT

1. One (1) exam room (170 sf) with exam table, x-ray table, x-ray stand – ($7,500 cost)

2. Flow-through Pump system for tanks/pools – ($5,000 cost)

3. One (1) converted van (sea turtle transport) – ($10,000 cost)

4. Two (2) large refrigerators (food and medicine) – ($1,000 cost)

5. A 5,000-gallon saltwater pool for larger sea turtles, pregnant sea turtles and permanent residents who are not able to be released – ($5,000 cost)

6. Two (2) diesel boat engines – ($10,000 cost)

7. Shipping charges for Two (2) plastic 8x6x4 sea turtle pools – ($1,000 cost)

 

OUR GOALS (Short, mid and long term)

1) Provide training and incentives for local fishermen to collect baseline data on the top-level species in an area where little is known of these species as well as train fishermen to become environmental stewards for their country;

2) Extend existing education and community outreach programs conducted by project partners with a focus on the top-level species;

3) Foster cooperative and supportive relationships with marine mammal, shark, ray and sea turtle researchers interested in working in Haiti;

4) Evaluate the potential for marine mammal, shark, ray and sea turtle based eco-tourism;

5) Aid in the development of national legislation for the protection of these top-level species.