Our Impact

Before ICAPO, the chance of consistent encounters with hawksbills in the eastern Pacific, let alone recovering the population, was beyond the imagination of even the most optimistic researcher. Since ICAPO, successful conservation efforts to bring hawksbill turtles back from the brink of extinction are making a difference and changing minds. ICAPO has led the way in the region, uncovering information and identifying remnant rookeries. Today, ICAPO is the primary catalyst for hawksbill conservation across the region.

Our Results Show a Major Positive Shift in Outlook

• New hope for the species: Previously not known along the Pacific coast of the Americas, at least 10 nesting sites  (two large, four midrange, four small; more to be quantified) and more than 15 foraging hotspots have been discovered and protected.
• New livelihoods for community members: Project teams educate and inform local egg collectors converting them from hawksbill poachers to protectors.
• New policies and strategies: ICAPO researchers’ and educators’ findings continue to be integrated into national and international hawksbill conservation management. 

Still, the Need for More Conservation Remains a High Priority 

The hawksbill turtle is one of only two species of sea turtles listed as critically endangered globally by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the result of an 80 percent population decline.

Hawksbills are critical to marine ecosystems, contributing to the overall biodiversity of their habitats. Without our continuing work, hawksbill turtles will likely die out in the eastern Pacific.

As a Nonprofit, ICAPO Relies on the Generous Assistance of Individual Donors

To maximize disbursement of funds directly to conservation efforts, we have minimal overhead with projects and personnel located in Latin America, where the cost of living is lower. Private donations from individuals like you are put to use efficiently and cost-effectively ensuring that your contribution has the highest conservation value, bringing hawksbill turtles back from the brink of extinction.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to ICAPO.