By: Communications Equipment

To the sea they returned 30 turtles of the species Caretta Caretta, all of them are neonates of approximately one year of life and it was the first time they entered the ocean.

To achieve this number of releases, Beaches are constantly monitored between the Cañas and Palomino river basins., where the eggs are extracted in a controlled way from those nests that are seriously threatened by predators. Later the eggs are transferred to incubators under constant supervision..

Two adult turtles of the species Chelonia Mydas were also released. (females) of 40 kg each, that were seized from fishermen in Manaure by the National Police. Corporation officials verified the health status of the animals.

Those in charge of releasing the turtles into the sea were twenty children between 9 and the 13 years old, who study in schools in the area of ​​influence of the Los Flamencos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary. The Corporation has been advancing a strategy to generate in the community and in minors a culture of protection and conservation of these species in La Guajira.

All this within the framework of Sponsor a Turtle and Carry it in your heart, program carried out by Corpoguajira and the Association of Regional Autonomous Corporations and Sustainable Development (Asocars), with the firm purpose of implementing actions that allow awareness, education and protection of the habitat of sea turtles.

The act served to declare the godparents of these turtles to Danilo Rojas Betancourth, President of the Council of State; Gabriel Valbuena Hernandez, magistrate of the Second Section of the Council of State; Maria del Pilar Veloza Parra, President of the Administrative Court of La Guajira and Marcos Pardo, Head of the Protected Area of ​​National Parks of Colombia.

It should be noted, that La Guajira is one of the key sites in the country for the conservation of sea turtles because in this department artisanal fishing and the consumption of their meat and eggs, constitute a traditional activity for the Wayuu ethnic group and for some inhabitants of the region. These practices lead to the deterioration of natural populations and contribute to the loss of biodiversity in Colombia.