Fernando Arbeláez

Initial Actions Towards the Conservation of Three Species of Endangered River Turtles in the Colombian Amazonia. Community-Based Nests Monitoring and Educational Pilot Programmes

High utilization levels and habitat destruction have driven Amazon River turtle populations to critical sizes and to be registered in the IUCN red List. Local inhabitants acknowledge the turtles’ nesting periods and sites and take advantage to predate their nests and nesting females. This pilot programme arose as an initiative of members of an indigenous community, aware of the importance of preserving the turtles for future generations.

Nests monitoring pilot programme: The main nesting beach under the influence of the Indigenous reserve will be constantly monitored and protected against robbers and hunters, during the turtle reproductive period, from June to September 2008. Biological information will be gathered to estimate amount of nesting females and sites to be used as indicators for further seasons. Monitoring will be carried out by conservation leaders of the local community, together with local and foreign volunteers, and supported by professional researchers and the local authorities.

Educational pilot programme: a strong educational campaign will be held by researchers of Fundación BioDiversa Colombia in the community to support the monitoring and to promote community-based conservation actions. It will be based on: identification and use of traditional knowledge by elder people, regarding cultural relationships with the turtles; awareness-rising through playful and art activities with children; and commitment, project appropriation and direct participation by young people. Workshops and a final presentation by the different groups to the rest of the community will be documented to edit an audiovisual documentary. This video, together with educational material for children based on gathered traditional knowledge (such as a colouring book) and awareness- raising posters, will be delievered to the young people to stimulate them to propose conservation actions for upcoming nesting seasons. This material will also be used to promote the project for its continuation and replication in other indigenous reserves.

Locally and short-term, the nests monitoring programme will help reducing pressure on river turtles for the upcoming nesting season. Participation and appropriation of the project by the community, together with gathered etnozoobiologic information and estimates of nesting on the beach, will allow designing and implementing a medium- and long-term conservation strategy based on strong involvement by the community and new community-based economic initiatives through nature conservation.
The success of this pilot programme will allow drawing attention to regional authorities in order to replicate it in other indigenous reserves in the Colombian Amazonian area.

For more information contact ferarbe@gmail.com