Meet Solo, the 2023 Pacific Games mascots raising awareness for endangered turtle species

The two mascots before Solo the leatherback sets off on her transoceanic adventures. (Supplied: 2023 Pacific Games Committee)

For the first time in Pacific Games history, there is a living, breathing mascot.

Not that she's aware of it.

After the 167cm leatherback turtle laid her precious eggs on remote sandy beaches in Solomon Islands, the mascot swam 1,000 kilometres, arriving in Vanuatu last week.

Locals with Solo, the 2023 Pacific Games mascot who — by November when the games kick off, may have reached New Zealand.  (Supplied: 2023 Pacific Games Committee)

Vanuatu is a pit stop as Solo heads south through the Pacific to feed on jellyfish in New Zealand or southern Australian’s cold, rich waters. One has even been tracked to swim across to California. 

Leatherbacks are truly incredible creatures. They can weigh up to a ton, yet can dive down to depths of over a kilometre, spend over an hour underwater on a single breath, and can hit speed bursts faster than a bottlenose dolphin.

They are the fastest, largest and are the most ancient  of all sea turtles. 

An update of Solo's progress in early February. She swam from her nesting grounds in the Solomons and through Vanuatu's waters, exceeding 1,000km in a short space of time. (Supplied: The Nature Conservancy)

The turtle's co-mascot — and namesake — has things a bit easier.

Soon the other Solo — and its entourage — will complete their six-month tour through Solomon Islands nine provinces.

This month Solo will visit 26 communities and villages during its final trip in Malaita province.

Solo is teaching turtle conservation in remote communities across the over the nation's 300 inhabited islands. (Supplied: 2023 Pacific Games Committee)

Upright, and with dance moves and hugs for all, the polyester and foam mascot is hyping the Pacific Games to be held this November, and spreading a turtle conservation message across the islands at the same time.

Fighting against extinction

Solo surveying the ocean with her satellite tracker on her shell. (Supplied: The Nature Conservancy  (Peter Waldie )

Solomon Islands boast some of the largest turtle nesting grounds in the Pacific.

Sea turtles are intrinsic to the archipelago's culture.

For thousands of years, the green, hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles have followed an ancestral, biological drive to lay their eggs on the same beaches in Solomon Islands every mating cycle.

However, despite many tribes considering the gentle creatures a sacred animal, the latter half of the 20th century was catastrophic for sea turtles.

Commercial harvesting for shells and meat, as well as egg collection, has driven populations to near extinction.

All three Solomon Islands nesting species are classified as endangered, with the hawksbill and Western Pacific leatherback reaching "critically endangered" status.

Current adult female numbers of hawkbill turtles that nest in Solomon Islands are believed to have dwindled to a few thousand, whereas the number of adult leatherback turtles that nest in Solomon Islands are in the hundreds.

However, Solomon Islands has been fighting the devastation for decades, with some success.

Marine conservation areas and protected zones, paired with community-led ranger programs, have make an impact.

The 40,000-acre Arnavon Islands Community Marine Park was the first nationally protected area in Solomon Islands, established in 1995.

Some reports attribute a 200 per cent increase of hawksbill nests to the Arnavon's protection status.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) says hawksbill turtles dig around 2,000 nests a year within the marine park.

TNC has been working in Solomon Islands for 30 years and has partnered with the Pacific Games Organising Committee (GOC) for the 2023 Pacific Games.

Also tracking Solo the leatherback, the TNC will continue to release the data of her travels leading up to the November kick of for the games.

2023 Pacific Games to position sea turtles in hearts and minds

The Pacific Games mascot's community engagement program aims at advocating against the slaughter of all turtle species in Solomon Islands.  (Supplied: 2023 Pacific Games Committee)

Solomon Islands latest conservation initiative is proving a winner.

A highlight was when the turtle mascot released a live hawksbill back into a Marine Protected Area from Boe Boe Village in Choiseul province.

"Seeing Solo, a sea turtle, being the Games Official Mascot gives us even more joy," Boe Boe village elder Derald Daza Daniel said.

The moment Solo released a hawksbill turtle from Boe Boe Village has been described as "magical" by the Games officials who were there. (Supplied)

Mr Daniel echoed similar sentiments shared by those in the other provinces that Solo has visited, with the mascot's nationwide tour making people feel part of the Pacific Games.

Games chief executive Peter Stewart said he was hopeful the messages both Solos could spread awareness throughout Solomon Islands to help protect sea turtles for many years to come.

Solo got the job done. The Pacific Games mascot will conclude her national tour this month. (Supplied: 2023 Pacific Games Committee)

"These creatures are so important to the culture and biodiversity of Solomon Islands and the Pacific region," Stewart said.

Solomon Islands will host this year's Pacific Games between November 19 and December 2.