More than 15,000 young turtles, of the 'arrau' or South American river turtle (Podocnemis expansa) species, were released Apr 26 along the banks of the middle Orinoco River in Venezuela as part of a preservation program of the governmental wildlife service Profauna. Through the 14-year-old turtle program, 60 to 90 eggs produced by each of the 1,300 females counted annually are collected and incubated, and the offspring are reared in captivity for one year, until they are 10 to 12 cm long and less vulnerable to predators.

The worst enemies of the arrau turtle are humans, who have indiscriminately hunted this once abundant species along the Orinoco and its tributaries. In 1989 there were just 900 egg-producing females counted in Venezuela.

Over the years, Profauna has returned some 100,000 turtles to their natural habitat, but the species remains in danger of extinction.