WILDCOAST RECEIVES DISNEY WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GRANT

Imperial Beach, California, 29th August, 2013 –WILDCOAST, an international conservation team based in Imperial Beach, California, is the recipient of a Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund grant that will support programs to help protect sea turtles and their nesting beaches in Oaxaca, Mexico.

“As someone who became interested in saving wildlife at an early age due to my exposure to Disney nature films, I am thrilled that WILDCOAST will be able to help preserve an endangered species like the leatherback sea turtle in Mexico thanks to the support of the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, " said WILDCOAST Executive Director Dr. Serge Dedina. Dedina was a recipient of the San Diego Zoological Society’s Conservation Medal in recognition of his conservation work.

Through its sea turtle conservation program WILDCOAST is helping to protect some of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches located on the Oaxaca coast of Southern Mexico, where hundreds of thousands of the marine reptiles lay their eggs each year.

“With the Disney grant, WILDCOAST will join the Mexican Sea Turtle Center and coastal indigenous communities to expand sea turtle monitoring on these crucial nesting beaches. We will also educate local students about sea turtle ecology and involve them in the release of baby sea turtles,” said Tannia Frausto, WILDCOAST Oaxaca Program Coordinator, who recently monitored a massivearribada at Escobilla beach in Oaxaca

“Sea turtles are making an amazing recovery on their nesting beaches in Oaxaca thanks to indigenous communities and the leadership of the Mexican Sea Turtle Center, Mexico’s Navy, and Mexico’s Ministry of the Environment (SEMARNAT) and its innovative Protected Area Commission (CONANP),” said WILDCOAST Mexico Director Dr. Eduardo Najera, “We are pleased to be able to further support their successful protection efforts.”

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund works to protect species and habitats, and connect kids to nature to help develop lifelong conservation values. Since its founding in 1995, DWCF has supported more than 1,000 conservation programs in 112 countries. 

For information on Disney’s commitment to conserve nature visit http://www.disney.com/conservation.