Our Legacy
We demonstrate that conservation isn’t just about awareness. It’s about empowerment, action, and creating lasting change. By embracing the Rights of Nature, we are taking a transformative step in ensuring that leatherback sea turtles and their habitats are not only preserved but also respected as essential components of the natural world.
A Legacy of Conservation and Change
The Leatherback Project was born from a deep concern for the alarming decline in leatherback sea turtle populations. Our founder Callie Veelenturf began her journey witnessing the dramatic drop in the number of leatherbacks along the nesting beaches in Costa Rica. Over three years of monitoring, the numbers were staggering. By the end of the third year, Callie observed a heartbreaking reality, only one turtle had been observed to return to nest.
Worldwide, the leatherback sea turtle population has plummeted from 35,000 to just 500 individuals. Witnessing this dramatic decline firsthand left a profound impact on Callie. It became unmistakably clear to her that immediate action was needed to prevent these magnificent creatures from slipping into extinction.
In response, we were founded in 2019 by Callie Veelenturf as a dedicated conservation organization focused on addressing the multitude of threats and challenges facing leatherback sea turtles, from fisheries bycatch to habitat destruction. A key part of our work centers around advocating for and advancing the Rights of Nature, a legal framework that acknowledges the inherent rights of natural ecosystems to exist and thrive. By supporting and promoting the Rights of Nature law, we help safeguard the habitats of leatherback sea turtles, ensuring that these creatures and their ecosystems are not only protected but recognized as having their own legal standing in the world.
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With a relentless commitment to tangible results, our organization shifted its focus from mere education to taking bold, meaningful actions that would safeguard these creatures and other endangered species. The Leatherback Project strives to create measurable change, both in the health of marine life populations and in the ecosystems they inhabit.
Today, more than just an educational platform, The Leatherback Project is about impact. It’s about standing as a symbol of changemakers, individuals and groups united in the plight against extinction. The organization focuses on creating real solutions, empowering local communities, and fostering a space for learning and shared knowledge. We are building a network of trailblazers working together to protect leatherback sea turtles and the larger ecosystems that rely on them.
At The Leatherback Project, our approach isn’t just about talking; it’s about doing. Our mission is grounded in impact, driven through the lens of science, advocacy, community-driven action, and storytelling. We seek to address the challenges of leatherback sea turtle conservation head-on and offer practical solutions in collaboration with others in the field. Every action taken contributes to the larger goal: ensuring that leatherback sea turtles have a future, and that their ecosystem thrives for generations to come.
Explore Our Impact Projects
Milestones & Achievements
Fun Fact! This video was filmed a few weeks before
The Leatherback Project was launched in 2019!
2019
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The Leatherback Project launches!
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First field season in the Pearl Islands commences
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Green LED lights project testing in Ghana and implementation in Ecuador to reduce bycatch
2020
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Rights of Nature law proposal in Panama
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Illuminar El Mar bycatch initiative begins fundraising for green LED lights
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Founder Callie Veelenturf named National Geographic Society Early Career Leader
2021
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Telemundo Panama episode Conservación de las Tortugas Marinas feature releases
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The Leatherback Project collaborates with the Mare Nostrum Foundation and SafetyNet Technologies for the UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge for bycatch reduction
2022
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The Leatherback Project wins the UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge with Mare Nostrum and SafetyNet Technologies for bycatch reduction
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Illuminar El Mar bycatch initiative launches in Ecuador
2023
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CBS Saturday Morning News episode feature releases
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Illuminar El Mar collaborates with local fisheries in Ecuador
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Proyecto Yaug Galu monitoring program launches in Panama
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Proyecto CONAP launches in Panama’s Pearl Islands Mission Blue declares Pearl Islands a Hope Spot
2024
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Nature on PBS Wild Hope episode feature releases
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The Leatherback Project collaborates with RESERVA: The Youth Land Trust
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Panama establishes the Saboga Wildlife Refuge
2025
#ForNature launches