Aerodom and Eco-Bahía extend sea turtle conservation partnership through 2030

Santo Domingo.- Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom) and Grupo Piñero’s Bahia Principe Ecological Foundation (Eco-Bahía) have extended their partnership through 2030 to protect leatherback turtles and other sea turtles nesting along the Dominican Republic’s northeastern coast.

The program will safeguard nests on beaches in Nagua, La Majagua in Sánchez, and Cosón in Las Terrenas, as well as coastal areas near El Catey International Airport in Samaná. The organizations will also conduct environmental education programs in schools and coastal communities.

As part of the agreement, Aerodom will provide an exhibition space at President Juan Bosch International Airport featuring a sculpture and information about the conservation program. The airport will also host an office for the field team, while a nest protection enclosure operates in Los Yayales.

The leatherback turtle, the world’s largest sea turtle, faces threats including nest poaching, marine pollution, and habitat loss. Conservation efforts have produced significant results. In 2025, daily patrols expanded protected coastline from 15 to 32 kilometers, while nest poaching fell from 95% in 2024 to 29.6%. That year, 19 nests were protected, 1,535 eggs recovered, and 461 hatchlings released.

During the 2026 nesting season, 26 nests were protected, the poaching rate fell to 7.7%, and 843 hatchlings reached the sea.

The partnership will also continue educational activities, community training, and public releases of hatchlings. In 2025, 180 students from five schools participated in environmental programs, while 50 coastal residents received training in conservation practices.

Both organizations said the initiative supports biodiversity protection while promoting sustainable tourism and preserving the natural heritage of Samaná and the Dominican Republic’s northeastern coast.