More sea turtles in the sea

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During the month of September, RAO Anzoátegui members responded to several calls reporting sea turtle hatchlings on Anzoátegui beaches.

During the month of September, RAO Anzoátegui members responded to several calls reporting sea turtle hatchlings on Anzoátegui beaches.

The first call came from friends at Playa El Faro, where the nest made by a turtle had been reported by beach employees. Gabriela, Marco, Crisanto, and Betty were in charge of watching over the nest and when they saw them leave, they called with all the excitement of being part of this conservation work.

In spite of the care, only 7 baby turtles were born and the rest could not develop because of the heavy rains that fell during those days. However, the ones that were born were guarded and released by a group of volunteers who came by. The afternoon was very special and everyone applauded once the turtles began to get wet with seawater and move their flippers to move away.

Another release occurred but with a large number of them, almost 100, that hatched towards Mochima. The call was made by the fishermen and concessionaires of Manare beach. There, officials from Inparques and La Tortuga Foundation also showed up, fulfilling their task of taking the pertinent information and then releasing them at nightfall.

Baby turtles that hatch during the day are more vulnerable to attack by natural predators and humans. The night hides them from birds, dogs, fish, and even humans, so they have a better chance of survival. Out of every 1000 baby turtles, only 1 or 2 reach adulthood and although it sounds like very little, this life strategy has helped sea turtles to be present on the planet for millions of years. Once man appeared, their presence has been decreasing because they have been hunted and consumed mainly by coastal dwellers as a source of protein easy to reach.

La Tortuga Foundation invites all those who want to participate in this conservation work to join in with just one call to report any event they witness with sea turtles. By carrying out the instructions given or allowing RAO Anzoátegui members to arrive, you will become Environmental Heroes as you will allow an endangered species to have a new opportunity to be present on our planet.