Application of Geofencing in Safeguarding Sea Turtle Breeding Nets Along the Beaches in Kenya

Abstract

Sea turtle is one of the most endangered species in the world, with their population declining over time. The behavior of sea turtle in terms of breeding and foraging makes it become exposed to multiple threats. It stays in the sea, but lays and hatches its eggs on the sandy beaches. It creates a nest using flippers. Humans have exploited sea turtles, ranging from use of its shell, meat and eggs. Other threats are from animals such as crabs, dogs, coyotes, red ants and birds. Conservation efforts to save the sea turtles have been an on-going process. It includes involvement of local communities, visitors, beach boys, boat operators, hotels, and other businesses along the shore lines. Specific conservation activities include physically guarding the nets, transferring eggs to hatcheries, fencing and roping of nests as well as erecting warning signs to minimize threats to nests. As an alternative method to fencing and roping of sea turtle nets, use of geofencing technology has been proposed. Geofencing involves creation of virtual boundaries around a specified location such that any target device will be alerted when it crosses the boundary. It makes use of GPS, Wifi, RFID or Cell ID. Nesting sites will be identified and a virtual boundary will be built around it. A person with pre-installed app will be notified through an alert whenever this virtual boundary is breached. This enables people to be informed so as to avoid the beach areas with nests. It will become an additional conservation strategy of creating awareness and minimizing vulnerability of the sea turtle as an endangered species.