Young people receive training courses on the subject [of conservation] along the beaches.
Jorge Alvarado
April 06, 2021
For three days in a row and with great enthusiasm, six young volunteers participated in the training camp on ecology, biology and conservation status of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) to monitor this species. The event was held at the Quinta Playa research site on Isabela Island, and the objective is to train community volunteers to join the work of monitoring the nesting and hatching of sea turtles throughout the beach.
The volunteers from Isabela learned face-to-face techniques to take shell measurements, verify damage, and identify the presence of foreign organisms in the shell, among other aspects related to the monitoring protocol.
The trainings are carried out in each turtle nesting season with the support of park rangers from the Galapagos National Park Directorate and technicians from the Charles Darwin Foundation , Ecology Project International (EPI), and the Intercultural Outreach Initiative.
“This type of activity is very important, because it allows us to strengthen the bond with the community and generate citizen awareness; in addition to learning day and night monitoring techniques, young people know the effort that it takes for sea turtles to reproduce,” explained the park ranger, Valentín Moncayo.
Training leaders
Lady Márquez, representative of Ecology Project International, stressed that the main aim is to “train leaders in conservation, because the members of each community are the best examples to inspire everyone.”
After the end of the camp, a work schedule with the volunteers was established until May 2021, which includes outings for monitoring in the morning and at night during the nesting season which ends in that month. On June 16 (World Sea Turtle Day), the results will be delivered.
Read the original coverage from Extra.EC at https://www.extra.ec/noticia/buena-vida/chicos-isla-isabela-apuestan-conservacion-tortugas-marinas-50581.html
