Guam National Wildlife Refuge recently formed a partnership with the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources to develop and promote the volunteer program ?Haggan-watch.? Haggan is the Chamorro name for the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) also nest on Guam. The goal of the program is to have trained volunteers walking the beaches of Guam looking for signs of sea turtle nests and crawls on a regular schedule. Little is currently known about turtle nesting behavior on Guam and it is hoped that this program will give biologists a better understanding of when nesting turtles are on-island, while at the same time increasing public awareness of the status of these threatened and endangered animals.

Over 150 potential volunteers participated in two training sessions that were held in early January. In addition to discussing sea turtle nest and crawl identification tools, a portion of the training also addressed the current threats to the sea turtle population, including illegal poaching. Haggan is considered a delicacy by many on Guam, and was traditionally served at weddings and other large family gatherings and celebrations.

A few weeks after the training, Haggan-watch coordinators were contacted by a volunteer who had participated in the training. The volunteer had learned that a family member had just caught a young sea turtle and was planning on serving the animal at a weekend party. The volunteer proceeded to rescue the animal and turn it over to the proper authorities. The volunteer credited what she had learned at the Haggan-watch training with giving her the courage to intercede on the turtle's behalf.

The rescued Green Sea Turtle was given a clean bill of health by biologist, who examined, tagged and released the turtle back into the ocean from the shores of Guam NWR.

Haggan-watch volunteers continue to monitor Guam's beaches, including those on Guam NWR. In the month since the program began, several nest sites (both on and off the Refuge) have been discovered which would have likely been unknown without the efforts of the dedicated volunteers.