Return of the Turtles
Nineteenth-century chroniclers marveled at how, during spawning season, the beaches of the Amazon would fill with thousands of turtles. That abundance—like so many other Amazonian abundances—came to an end with commercialization. Now, as charapas, taricayas, and cupisos face the threat of extinction, an alliance between the family of local sabedor Rogelio Carihuasari and the Colombian biologist Fernando Arbeláez’s Fundación Biodiversa has launched a successful conservation program along the Colombian stretch of the Amazon River. Protecting the beaches to safeguard the mothers’ nests, ensuring no one disturbs them, raising awareness among children, and organizing festivals are all helping to exponentially increase the number of baby turtles that begin their lives in the Amazon River each year.
