Ecobreves – VENEZUELA: Turtles Returned Home

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

CARACAS, May 12 2002 (IPS) - Biologists from Venezuela's Environment Ministry released 16,000 young Arrau turtles into the waters of the Orinoco River as part of a conservation program. The experts also moved 720 turtle-egg nests on lower Orinoco banks to higher ground in order to prevent them from being hurt by the greater volume of water flowing in the river, which is normal at this time of year.

The Orinoco River and several of its tributaries are home to the Arrau turtle, the largest freshwater turtle species of South America. These shelled creatures, especially when young, are the prey of fish and birds, but also suffer the consequences of the damage that human activities cause the environment.