Calay News
In a heartwarming scene along the Colombia-Venezuela border, the banks of the Meta River have become a temporary home for countless olive-green baby turtles, awaiting their imminent return to the wild. As a pivotal moment in a conservation project, 1,200 of these young turtles were released on Friday, signaling the conclusion of a year-long effort that saw a total of 3,150 turtles return to the South American waterway. The Meta River, a tributary of the Orinoco, stands as one of the continent’s sprawling arteries.
This impactful endeavor, led by Ruth Bustos, has garnered support from both Colombia’s navy and national army, whose volunteers tenderly cradled the miniature turtles in their palms before gently guiding them into the lush shallows.
Carolina Pinzon, second commander at the city’s coastguard station, highlighted the initiative’s decade-long dedication to safeguarding the region’s freshwater turtles from dual threats: the illegal trade and the grasp of natural predators. The project’s significance lies in its role as a resilient barrier against these dangers, assuring the thriving future of these turtles in their natural habitat.
This touching release event not only reiterates the importance of cross-border collaborations but also embodies the spirit of unity in preserving the biodiversity of our planet’s most precious ecosystems.
