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Join the fight
for the ocean
Gate To Nature, in collaboration with Alex Høgh Andersen, Malte Ebert, and Morten Hilmer, is dedicated to showcasing the beauty and diversity of marine life and the natural world. Our primary mission is to aid in the survival of as many sea turtles as possible and to cultivate an entire coral reef ecosystem, with our efforts centered on the seas surrounding Bali in Indonesia.
One of life's greatest successes is NOW under threat.
Today, there are seven species of sea turtles, swimming in all the world’s oceans except for the polar regions. Although sea turtles are adapted to life in the sea, and young sea turtles swim around for decades before approaching the coast, females still need to come ashore to lay eggs. As the breeding season approaches, sea turtles leave the open sea and gather in shallow water to mate on tropical or subtropical sand beaches, such as those found in Bali, Indonesia.
Most female sea turtles go ashore at night to lay their eggs in a nest they dig in the sand. Depending on the species and size, she lays between 50 and 350 eggs, which hatch after 40-60 days, after which the small turtles head towards the sea. A new generation should be guaranteed, but that is not the case – even under good conditions, only a few percent of a clutch survive to adulthood.
The first sea turtles swam peacefully around the world’s oceans 150 million years ago, 66 million years before Tyrannosaurus rex ruled the earth. In the 150 million years since then, sea turtles have survived giant sharks, carnivorous dinosaurs, devastating meteor strikes, and major climate changes, but now we humans are causing their downfall.
Why sea turtles are struggling?
Over the past 200 years, we humans have pursued sea turtles for their eggs, meat, and shells to such an extent that they are now on the brink of extinction.
Although there has been more control over the illegal hunting of sea turtles, many adult turtles still die every year due to plastic pollution, as bycatch in fishing nets, and from being hit by jet skis and speedboats.
In addition, sea turtles are also threatened by the destruction of both coral reefs and sandy beaches due to human activity and climate change.
Today, all species of sea turtles are considered “endangered” or “critically endangered” (for one species of sea turtle, there is insufficient data to estimate the population size).
Why help create a new coral reef?
Coral reefs are a threatened habitat found in around 100 countries, mainly near the equator. Although it may sound like a lot, they only cover 1% of the ocean’s surface. However, coral reefs are home to an incredibly rich diversity of life, with 25% of all marine life being associated with them. Many studies suggest that they have greater biodiversity than tropical rainforests. It is not only the animals that benefit from healthy coral reefs. About 200 million people in the world live on coasts that coral reefs protect from storm surges and tsunamis.
Coral reefs are incredibly important, and they need help.
Coral reefs are threatened by global warming, including higher sea temperatures and coral bleaching, as well as rising sea levels, more powerful storms, and ocean acidification. It is difficult to alleviate these problems where they occur, but we are helping a local turtle rehabilitation center with the green transition – see more here.
Unfortunately, there are also many local activities that threaten and destroy coral reefs. These include unsustainable fishing, pollution from plastic, toxins, or nutrients, and physical destruction of the reefs, such as dynamite fishing, unsustainable tourism, and the establishment of seaweed plantations.
Every coral counts
Gate To Nature, together with Alex Høgh Andersen, Malte Ebert, and Morten Hilmer, will make an extraordinary effort to help nature and marine life in Bali, Indonesia.
Help us make a big difference by restoring the damaged coral reefs.
We need to restore 43.000 square meters of coral reefs for the benefit of fish, sharks, turtles, and all the other fantastic life that we share the coral reefs with.
How we build new coral reefs
With our local partners, we create new reefs in the most gentle and effective way possible.
The method we use is to collect coral fragments from areas where they are unable to establish themselves. We then attach them to artificial frames or lines that are fixed in areas where coral reefs were previously present but have now been destroyed by humans.
We continuously monitor the new coral reefs to see how they are developing and, together with other partners around the world, compare results to constantly optimize our methods and create the best possible reefs.
It works, and within a few years, the new coral reefs begin to take shape, and the first fish return.
Be part of the solution
Gate to Nature works with local partners in Bali to improve conditions for sea turtles. We do this by educating local school children about the ocean and sea turtles, and about the significant cultural and ecological importance that sea turtles have.
Additionally, we run a rehabilitation center where injured sea turtles are helped and released back into the wild. Furthermore, we collect eggs laid on vulnerable beaches and hatch them under protected conditions. The newly hatched turtle hatchlings are then released back into the wild.
