Aya Okawa

Photographer, Visual Anthropologist

Tsunami Survivor Protecting Vulnerable Sea Turtles

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Location: San Francisco, California.

Nationality: American

Biography: Aya Okawa is an aerial and environmental photographer and visual anthropologist who enjoys shooting landscape transformation, abstract patterns, and documenting the interaction of natural and human systems. Aya's work has been printed in the... MORE

After surviving the tsunami, Ch...rash that wash up on the beach.

After surviving the tsunami, Charith Dilshan developed a deepened appreciation for nature and a feeling of responsibility to protect it. As a Buddhist, he believes, 'If you respect nature, nature will respect you.' Here, on the land where his house stood before it was destroyed by the tsunami, Charith has established a sea turtle hatchery and conservation center where he protects sea turtle eggs until maturation, rehabilitates injured turtles, and attempts to clean the mountains of plastic trash that wash up on the beach.

Charith Dilshan points to the t...00 people throughout Sri Lanka.

Charith Dilshan points to the temple on the hill where his family ran to escape the impact of the tsunami, which destroyed their house in entirety, and killed over 35,000 people throughout Sri Lanka.

The temple on the hill, where C... wave came to strike the coast.

The temple on the hill, where Charith Dilshan and his family fled and survived the tsunami. After the first large wave brought fishing boats crashing into the walls of their house, Charith's uncle, who had been a seaman in Japan, told everyone to run for the temple to save their lives. Charith fled with his mother, two sisters and brother, along with other villagers. After the first large wave struck, the beach became 'like a desert' Charith described, as the ocean receded and they fled to the temple before the second, most destructive wave came to strike the coast.

Charith Dilshan overlooks his b...er, along with other villagers.

Charith Dilshan overlooks his beach from the temple on the hill, where his family fled and survived the tsunami. After the first large wave brought fishing boats crashing into the walls of their house, Charith's uncle, who had been a seaman in Japan, told everyone to run for the temple to save their lives. Charith fled with his mother, two sisters and brother, along with other villagers.

Charith Dilshan holds a photo t...y the tsunami's impact.

Charith Dilshan holds a photo taken by a family member several weeks later when they were able to return to their home. Their home, constructed of concrete, was almost entirely flattened by the tsunami's impact.

Charith Dilshan looks at what r... as a potential natural buffer.

Charith Dilshan looks at what remains of his home's foundation. The plant growth here he has planted since the tsunami. Prior to the tsunami they cleared these native plants to have closer access to the beach, but now he prefers to keep the growth thick as a potential natural buffer.

After the tsunami, Charith Dils...tourist visitors or volunteers.

After the tsunami, Charith Dilshan and his family were among many that were resettled further away from the coast. However, having a deep love for nature and to take advantage of the opportunities of tourism, Charith transformed his family's beachfront land into a sea turtle hatchery and sanctuary, where he protects endangered sea turtle eggs until they can be safely released, and rehabilitates injured or disabled turtles that cannot survive on their own. Out of seven species of sea turtles that exist in the world, five come to this beach to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, these eggs are vulnerable to being destroyed by animals, reptiles or humans. The sanctuary supports itself by accepting tourist visitors or volunteers.

Charith Dilshan cares for an in... be contacted through Facebook.

Charith Dilshan cares for an injured Olive Ridley turtle. This turtle was caught in a fishing net and brought to Charith's center for rehabilitation. After having lost a flipper, possibly to a boat or from being caught in a net, this turtle then starved at sea for 3 months, which caused air to accumulate inside her body. This, and the missing flipper, now prevents her from being able to balance herself or to dive under water. Because she cannot survive at sea, Charith continues to care for her. Other turtles, once rehabilitated, he prefers to release immediately to the wild if they are able to surrive. Charith accepts volunteers and visitors to help in caring for the turtles. His turtle sanctuary, Galbokka Turtle Hatchery can be contacted through Facebook.

Sea turtles often become trappe...is a green sea turtle skeleton.

Sea turtles often become trapped in the nets of fishermen, injured by boats, and/or sick or choked from consuming plastics floating in the ocean. Thirty to forty endangered turtle bodies wash up on this beach every year. Some are entangled in plastic nets and unable to dive or feed, some choke on fishing hooks, or get plastic lodged in their bodies. In the foreground of this photo is a green sea turtle skeleton.

The beaches of Kosgoda are visi...le sea turtles diving for food.

The beaches of Kosgoda are visited by 5 out of 7 species of endangered sea turtles who come to lay their eggs. Additionally, an enormous amount of trash washes onto these shores. Here, a tangle of fishing nets, sacks and plastic bottles has washed onto the beach. These fishing nets are not local Sri Lankan, but the types of nets used in Thailand and Malaysia. When the nets become tangled, fishermen cut them off and discard them to the sea, where they often then trap and disable sea turtles diving for food.

Fishing hooks like these, which...cut hooks and leave in the sea.

Fishing hooks like these, which are discarded by fishermen who loose their catch, wash up daily on the beach and kill many sea turtles. After finding many dead sea turtles washed up on the beach with hooks lodged in their skulls, Charith tries to educate local fishermen not to just cut hooks and leave in the sea.

With 5 out of 7 species of sea ...y until the baby turtles hatch.

With 5 out of 7 species of sea turtles coming to lay their eggs on this beach, Charith Dilshan has a unique opportunity to protect unhatched eggs from potential threats. Dogs, monitors, snakes and humans all pose threats to the survival of sea turtle eggs while they incubate in the sand. To protect them, Charith brings the eggs to an enclosed area where he keeps the sand safe and dry until the baby turtles hatch.

Mother turtles lay around 100 e...rtles select to lay their eggs.

Mother turtles lay around 100 eggs at a time. After moving them from vulnerable positions on the beach, Charith places them carefully into 'golden sand', which is warm and dry, like the sand that mother turtles select to lay their eggs.

A newly hatched green sea turtl...tles will survive to adulthood.

A newly hatched green sea turtle, ready to be released to the sea. Charith prefers to release the baby turtles immediately as they would be in nature, but keeps them until sundown which gives them higher chances of evading predators. Only 1 in 1,000 baby sea turtles will survive to adulthood.

A newly hatched green sea turtl... be contacted through Facebook.

A newly hatched green sea turtle, ready to be released to the sea. Baby sea turtles instinctively run toward the ocean as soon as they emerge from the sand. At his turtle sanctuary, Charith prefers to release the baby turtles immediately as they would be in nature, but keeps them until sundown which gives them higher chances of evading predators. Only 1 in 1,000 baby sea turtles will survive to adulthood. Charith accepts volunteers and visitors to help in caring for the turtles. His turtle sanctuary, Galbokka Turtle Hatchery can be contacted through Facebook.

A newly hatched green sea turtl...nstagram at @GalbokkaSeaTurtle.

A newly hatched green sea turtle, ready to be released to the sea. Baby sea turtles instinctively run toward the ocean as soon as they emerge from the sand. At his turtle sanctuary, Charith Dilshan prefers to release the baby turtles immediately as they would be in nature, but keeps them until sundown which gives them higher chances of evading predators. Only 1 in 1,000 baby sea turtles will survive to adulthood. Charith accepts volunteers and visitors to help in caring for the turtles. His turtle sanctuary, Galbokka Turtle Hatchery can be contacted through Facebook or Instagram at @GalbokkaSeaTurtle.

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Thumbnail of After surviving the tsunami, Cha_trash that wash up on the beach.

Thumbnail of Charith Dilshan points to the te_000 people throughout Sri Lanka.

Thumbnail of The temple on the hill, where Ch_e wave came to strike the coast.

Thumbnail of Charith Dilshan overlooks his be_her, along with other villagers.

Thumbnail of Charith Dilshan holds a photo ta_by the tsunami's impact.

Thumbnail of Charith Dilshan looks at what re_k as a potential natural buffer.

Thumbnail of After the tsunami, Charith Dilsh_ tourist visitors or volunteers.

Thumbnail of Charith Dilshan cares for an inj_n be contacted through Facebook.

Thumbnail of Sea turtles often become trapped_ is a green sea turtle skeleton.

Thumbnail of The beaches of Kosgoda are visit_ble sea turtles diving for food.

Thumbnail of Fishing hooks like these, which _ cut hooks and leave in the sea.

Thumbnail of With 5 out of 7 species of sea t_ry until the baby turtles hatch.

Thumbnail of Mother turtles lay around 100 eg_urtles select to lay their eggs.

Thumbnail of A newly hatched green sea turtle_rtles will survive to adulthood.

Thumbnail of A newly hatched green sea turtle_n be contacted through Facebook.

Thumbnail of A newly hatched green sea turtle_Instagram at @GalbokkaSeaTurtle.

Public Story

Tsunami Survivor Protecting Vulnerable Sea Turtles

Copyright Aya Okawa 2024

Updated Feb 2022

Location Galbokka, Sri Lanka

Topics Animals, Climate Change, Conservation, Documentary, Editorial, Ocean

Tsunami Survivor Committed to Conservation and Sustainability Founds a Sea Turtle Sanctuary on the Rubble of his Home

After narrowly surviving the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka's coast in 2004, killing tens of thousands and destroying his home, Charith Dilshan deeply believes in the need to conserve and protect nature.

On the rubble where his childhood home once stood, he built and runs the Galbokka Sea Turtle Hatchery and Sanctuary, where he protects and incubates endangered sea turtle eggs until they hatch and can be released to the ocean, and cares for adult sea turtles injured or disabled by human activity and pollution.