Photo credit: By User:Haplochromis (Self-photographed) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

This past October, the Peruvian environmental authorities released 17,000 baby turtles into the wild. The big release is part of their conservation effort to save the yellow-spotted Amazon turtle species (Podocnemsis unifilis), locally known as Taricaya. By mid-November the Peruvian authorities hope to release 500,000 baby turtles in a protected area in northeastern Peru’s Amazon River Basin.
 
Peru’s Conservation Efforts
The Taricaya turtles are listed as a vulnerable species and are now protected by the Peruvian authorities. As part of their conservation and educational effort, Peru’s National Service of Protected Natural Areas by the State (SERNANP) collects turtle eggs and cares for them until they hatch. Volunteers and employees of SERNANP collect the eggs during the month of August and incubate them in makeshift habitats for 70 days. Once the Taricaya eggs hatch, the baby turtles are released back into the Amazon River Basin.
 
The first batch of baby turtles were released in the Peru’s Loreto region, in a stream flowing through the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Authorities and volunteers started releasing turtles on October 15th and will continue to release them until November 15th. In total, they plan to release 500,000 baby Taricaya turtles back into the wild. During the first release many local residents went to the basin and watched SERNANP release the Amazonian turtles back into their natural habitat.

Why are Taricaya Turtles Considered a Vulnerable Species?
According to the Smithsonian National Zoo, Taricaya turtles can live up to 70 years old. The adult females can grow up to 27 inches long and weigh more than 6 pounds, while males weigh only 1 to 2 pounds. This species is native to the Amazon and Orinoco river systems in Venezuela, eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru, the Guianas, Brazil and northern Bolivia. Taricaya turtles spend most of their time in the calm waters of rivers and streams, or basking in the sun along the riverbank. Nesting sites of the Taricaya turtles can also be found along riverbanks.
 
Unfortunately one of the biggest threats to Taricaya turtles are humans. The female turtles build shallow nests and lay their eggs on riverbanks along the Amazon where they are vulnerable to predators and poaching. According to the Smithsonian National Zoo, the Yekuana and other indigenous used to eat Taricaya turtles and their eggs, but in more recent history these river turtles were taken to be sold as pets.

To help save the dwindling population of the Taricaya turtles, community members and the Peruvian authorities have taken measures to prevent poaching. Guards are positioned along 12 of their main nesting sites and SERNANP incubate eggs and release baby turtles after they hatch. Efforts are also being taken by the Yekuana Indians to hunt the turtles more sustainably.
 
Many of the world’s wild species are under threat because of poaching, habitat destruction and other human activities. It’s important that authorities and organizations take initiative to help conserve vulnerable and endangered species. We must also become aware of the species at risk in our local ecosystems and take part in conservation initiatives with local governments or wildlife organizations. Another way to help save endangered wildlife is by researching the species we intend to buy as pets. Many animals in the pet trade are vulnerable or endangered species because they’re poached and sold as pets in other countries. To help preserve the Earth’s wild species we must be aware of how our actions affect wildlife and take steps to help species at risk.