Preservation of the Turtles
3. THREATS
Electric lights - Urban expansion, and the development of the coast (buildings and roads), has caused an increase in the amount of light in nesting areas. This drives away the nesting turtles and confuses the hatchlings, who move away from the sea, lured by the light. That is why TAMAR has managed to pass laws which forbid new light sources in the nesting areas, and is today campaigning for traditional lamp posts to be replaced by new specially designed ones, so that the light does not fall directly on the beach.
Fishing nets - Turtle fishing is forbidden by a federal law, which punishes the offender with prison without the right to bail. However, turtles often get accidentally caught in fishing nets, and being unable to come up to the surface to breathe, pass out. When the fishermen pull in the net and see the unconscious turtle, they panic for fear of being accused of having killed the turtle, and throw it back into the sea to avoid charges. The turtles eventually dies because they cannot come to the surface to breath. TAMAR decided to launch an education campaign ("Not everything caught in the net is fish"), teaching people how to "resuscitate" turtles. It is necessary to lie the turtle on its back, with its head slightly lower than the rest of the body and massage its abdomen to remove the water from the lungs. Afterwards, the turtle should be placed in the shade, until it starts flapping its flippers on the chest. When this happens, it is ready to be returned to the sea.
Hunting and egg collecting - Before TAMAR, it was very common to kill sea turtles to eat their meat and use their shells for spectacle frames, combs and ornaments, such as bracelets, rings and necklaces. They were usually caught when they went to the beach to nest. The population of these beaches also took eggs to eat. Today this no longer happens in the areas where the Program operates. Hunting and egg collecting are against the law, and offenders are subject to prison without bail.
Beach Traffic - The movement of pedestrians and vehicles on the beaches where turtles nest may increase the death rate of the hatchlings because it makes the sand harder and discourages females from laying eggs. Besides, tire tracks on the sand make it more difficult for the hatchlings to crawl to the sea and they are in constant danger of being run over. Boating traffic near nesting areas may be dangerous; it may affect mating and scare away the females that arrive to lay eggs.
Pollution - Water pollution by organic and inorganic substances, such as oil, garbage and sewers affect feeding and free movement, and is harmful to the life cycle of these animals.
Shade - Tall buildings and crop-growing along much of the coast may significantly increase the shade in the nesting areas, lowering the average temperature of the sand and could cause a growth in the number of male hatchlings.
Predators - Young and adult sea turtles are reasonably safe against natural enemies. They become more fragile at the nesting time when they may be attacked by men or have their nests destroyed by other predators such as dogs, cats, foxes and birds. The hatchlings are also very vulnerable because they are very small.
