Special 25th Anniversary Message for Non-Turtle-Biologists

As the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU celebrates 25 years, Jarina Mohd Jani, a member of the Advisory Committee (AC) of the MOU, shares a special message for fellow non-turtle-biologists, an essential part of the sea turtle conservation community.

"Happy 25th anniversary, IOSEA! I am Jarina from Terengganu, Malaysia, where leatherbacks once ruled. And I'm really hoping that they will make a comeback one day.

Anyway, in celebrating this important milestone, I would like to reach out to every non-turtle-biologist out there to tell you that you, too, have a place in sea turtle conservation. I, a human ecologist, am living proof. Thanks to the kind encouragement and guidance of many people among the sea turtle conservation community, I have found a way to make contributions by focusing on the human dimensions of sea turtles.

Here in Malaysia, there is already a small group of people like me, and it is really heartwarming to see increasing awareness and acceptance that looking at conservation issues through social-ecological lenses actually helps quite a bit.

So, my dear non-turtle-biologists, please do not suffer any more from that unnecessary imposter syndrome. We absolutely are turtle people, too. So, chin up and do your best in conserving sea turtles, our shared legacy. Take care."

As we celebrate 25 years of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU, we showcase some of the people, initiatives and communities that have contributed to marine turtle conservation across the region. Visit our Story Map to discover their stories.