The population of Cook Islands is around 15,000. Around half of the people live on the main island of Rarotonga. The Northern Group of the Cook Islands is made up of coral atolls while the more populous Southern Group consists of uplifted limestone islands, sand cays, the almost-atoll of Aitutaki and the volcanic island of Rarotonga. With such a small area of land, any land-based activity can have a direct or indirect impact on the coast. Agriculture and deforestation wash soil into lagoons, smothering coral and freshwater spawning sites.
Effluent seeps into the lagoon from household septic tanks, tourist resorts and farms.
Reclamation of land and the construction of seawalls also cause major problems. Meanwhile, the over-harvesting of marine species such as clams, reef fish and coconut crabs has been severely depleting the coastal environment. Fisherman Faimou Robati and WWF Project Coordinator Jacqui Evans collect data on a green turtle before tagging and releasing it into the wild. In the Cook Islands, the WWF Partnerships in Conservation and Development Project assists local groups to implement their own conservation initiatives. The programme promotes collaboration between local partners and helps them develop their capacity to implement conservation projects.