Contemporary Culture, Use, and Conservation of Sea Turtles
321
dispute to argue for upholding the tenth amendment (Kostyack, 1999), and this
demonstrates how conservation conflicts are often about more than conservation.
Although Fletemeyer (1996) might dismiss cultural claims to beach driving as
euphemistic, several cultural issues are clearly at stake in this conflict.
More generally, development of sea turtle nesting beaches for private homes,
industry, and tourism infrastructure has been a highly contentious issue in the
southern U.S., particularly in Florida. The development itself, and subsequent efforts
to protect the investment against damage, constitutes an indirect use of sea turtles
through alteration and sometimes elimination of nesting habitat. Beliefs about private
property, free market development, and the role of government regulation — all
central components of contemporary Western culture — drive this competition.
12.2.3 N ONCONSUMPTIVE U SES
12.2.3.1 Tourism and Ecotourism
Tourists interact with turtles in the U.S. (Balazs, 1995; Johnson et al., 1996), Honduras (Dempsey, 1996), Costa Rica (Campbell, 1999; Campbell, 2002b; Gutic,
1994), Brazil (Marcovaldi and Marcovaldi, 1999), Trinidad and Tobago (Fournillier,
1994), Greece (Dimopoulos, 2001), Turkey (Yerli and Canbolat, 1998), Taiwan
(Cheng, 1995), and Australia (Wilson and Tisdell, 2001). There are also many
relatively undocumented instances of tourist–turtle interactions.
The impacts of tourism on turtles include tourists’ purchasing souvenirs made
from turtle products (Section 12.2.1.6), loss of habitat through resort development,
competition for use of beach with tourists and infrastructure (chairs, umbrellas), direct
interference with turtles by tourists (taking pictures, sitting on turtles), turtle strikes
by motorized water vehicles, hatchling disorientation by development lighting, and
hatchling trampling by tourists on beaches at night (World Society for the Protection
of Animals, 1997). Many of the locations listed above have experienced some if not
all of these problems. Conflicts have erupted in some locales (e.g., Zakynthos, Greece)
where the tourism industry and tourists themselves value coastal resources differently
than do turtle conservationists.
Ecotourism is an alternative form of tourism, defined as “responsible travel
to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of
local people” (Ecotourism Society, no date). Ecotourism is often promoted as
nonconsumptive use of wildlife and a means of reconciling conservation with
economic development, particularly in developing countries. By providing
income to local residents, ecotourists provide incentives to protect the resources
they wish to view.
Turtle-based tourism activities have been introduced at a variety of nesting
beaches around the world, often to serve different purposes (Figure 12.2). In the
U.S., turtle walks are an educational tool designed to gain public support for protecting nesting beaches (Johnson et al., 1996). In Australia, ecotourism is promoted
to provide an economic rationale for conserving the species (Wilson and Tisdell,
2001). In Tortuguero, Costa Rica, income earned by ecotourism can replace money
earned formerly via a green turtle fishery (Jacobson and Robles, 1992; Peskin, 2002).
1123 book.book Page 321 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM
321
dispute to argue for upholding the tenth amendment (Kostyack, 1999), and this
demonstrates how conservation conflicts are often about more than conservation.
Although Fletemeyer (1996) might dismiss cultural claims to beach driving as
euphemistic, several cultural issues are clearly at stake in this conflict.
More generally, development of sea turtle nesting beaches for private homes,
industry, and tourism infrastructure has been a highly contentious issue in the
southern U.S., particularly in Florida. The development itself, and subsequent efforts
to protect the investment against damage, constitutes an indirect use of sea turtles
through alteration and sometimes elimination of nesting habitat. Beliefs about private
property, free market development, and the role of government regulation — all
central components of contemporary Western culture — drive this competition.
12.2.3 N ONCONSUMPTIVE U SES
12.2.3.1 Tourism and Ecotourism
Tourists interact with turtles in the U.S. (Balazs, 1995; Johnson et al., 1996), Honduras (Dempsey, 1996), Costa Rica (Campbell, 1999; Campbell, 2002b; Gutic,
1994), Brazil (Marcovaldi and Marcovaldi, 1999), Trinidad and Tobago (Fournillier,
1994), Greece (Dimopoulos, 2001), Turkey (Yerli and Canbolat, 1998), Taiwan
(Cheng, 1995), and Australia (Wilson and Tisdell, 2001). There are also many
relatively undocumented instances of tourist–turtle interactions.
The impacts of tourism on turtles include tourists’ purchasing souvenirs made
from turtle products (Section 12.2.1.6), loss of habitat through resort development,
competition for use of beach with tourists and infrastructure (chairs, umbrellas), direct
interference with turtles by tourists (taking pictures, sitting on turtles), turtle strikes
by motorized water vehicles, hatchling disorientation by development lighting, and
hatchling trampling by tourists on beaches at night (World Society for the Protection
of Animals, 1997). Many of the locations listed above have experienced some if not
all of these problems. Conflicts have erupted in some locales (e.g., Zakynthos, Greece)
where the tourism industry and tourists themselves value coastal resources differently
than do turtle conservationists.
Ecotourism is an alternative form of tourism, defined as “responsible travel
to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of
local people” (Ecotourism Society, no date). Ecotourism is often promoted as
nonconsumptive use of wildlife and a means of reconciling conservation with
economic development, particularly in developing countries. By providing
income to local residents, ecotourists provide incentives to protect the resources
they wish to view.
Turtle-based tourism activities have been introduced at a variety of nesting
beaches around the world, often to serve different purposes (Figure 12.2). In the
U.S., turtle walks are an educational tool designed to gain public support for protecting nesting beaches (Johnson et al., 1996). In Australia, ecotourism is promoted
to provide an economic rationale for conserving the species (Wilson and Tisdell,
2001). In Tortuguero, Costa Rica, income earned by ecotourism can replace money
earned formerly via a green turtle fishery (Jacobson and Robles, 1992; Peskin, 2002).
1123 book.book Page 321 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM