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A million turtles released into the wild
Species protection XXL in the border area between Bolivia and Brazil: At the beginning of the week biologists released a million turtles in a river in the Amazon region in order to preserve the species. For years, the Amazon turtles have been losing the battle against climate change and human activities that threaten their ecosystem. In 2007 biologists and volunteers launched the binational project to protect this species. One of the main tasks is to collect the newly hatched turtles on the river banks to keep them from drowning. Climate change and the increased inflows due to the construction of dams in Brazil exacerbate the problem of flooding during the rainy season. Local indigenous groups help protect around 300 kilometers of pristine beaches so the turtles can reproduce safely. The authorities are supplying the people in the area with food to dissuade them from hunting and eating the turtles. Still, there is still a long way to go before these Amazon turtles can be saved.
Species conservationists fight in the border area between Brazil and Bolivia for the preservation of the Amazon turtles.