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SOS Tobago was formed in February 2000 with an ambitious mission to conserve Tobago’s sea turtle population and their coastal and marine habitat through community based initiatives in research, education and eco-tourism.
Sea turtles have peacefully inhabited the world's oceans for millions of years and have been a traditional food source and a source of creative and cultural inspiration in the Caribbean since Amerindian times. |  |
 | Tobago's reefs and sea grass beds are blessed with small but critical resident populations of Hawksbill and Green sea turtles and from March to August, we are alos fortunate to provide a temporary breeding and nesting refuge for the hightly migratory giant Leatherbacks. Although sea turtles have been hunted at sea and on land for centuries, illegal hunting or poaching, pollution, coastal development and destructive commercial fishing practices are all taking a serious toll on our fragile sea turtle populations. Sea turtles can take over 25 years to reach sexual maturity and are now endangered worldwide with Hawksbills and Leatherbacks listed as critically endangered. |
| SOS Tobago is a registered community based organisation (CBO) and as a small volunteer driven group the scale and scope of our programmes is determined annually by the availability of human and financial resources; from beach clean-ups and all night turtle patrols, to school lectures and tour guiding training, from the annual "Welcome Turtle Party" to the elusive "Turtle House". We derive great strength from our partnerships with agencies like Environment Tobago, the Travel Foundation, the British High Commission, Tobago House of Assembly, the Tour Guide Association and most importantly individuals like yourself who take the time to get involved. |  |
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