Consecration of the protection of the Brazilian wildlife: TAMAR PROJECT

2020 will be year full of emotion and proud for the creators of project TAMAR. As a matter of fact, in 2020, this
protection of maritime turtles project will celebrate it’s 40 years. Which allows us to draw an assessment of its activity.
This project was created in the 80’s, is a combination of two words: Tartarugas and Marinhas, which means marine
turtle. This project had been developed in reaction of the human negative impact on the oceans and consequently on the turtles.
In fact, scientists have found such a huge water pollution (rubbish, plastic bags, nets), and an involuntary and voluntary fishing
of reptiles.
Thanks to the ministry of the environment agreement, today the TAMAR project institute monitors 1,100 kms of coast
and is present on 25 sites where turtles come to feed, lay, and rest.

Turtles protection through awareness

Protect sea turtles from human vices pass too by awareness. So it’s simple and logical that scientists and also
creators of TAMAR project had decided on one hand, to raise local population, to show how minimize the human impact on the
nature, and to develop handmade activities around the project who permit to pay fishing families.

On other hand, TAMAR team wanted to raise awareness among tourists, often more abundant. As a matter of fact, it
is by opening 8 of its sites to the tourists that this awareness could have a significant impact. Moreover, tourists can ask as
many questions as they want, and especially on the Praia do forte site, the most important, they can pass more time in the
company of the turtles, which delights the young children.

Promising results

This approach has met a great success and recognition around the world for its unique character. This has allowed,
over the breeding season 2015-2016, to protect more than 25,000 nests and ensured a safe return to the sea of 2,5 million baby
turtles, with an increase in the number of eggs on the whole Brazilian coast compared to the previous year.
Since 1980, we count approximately 25 million small turtles that have been helped.

We notice that this project is worthy of the great respect because it protects species threatened by humans. It is
therefore necessary to help them, to continue to raise awareness among the young generation for a better future, where sea
turtles will take part.

Now we can only hope that this project paves the way to other projects that will help in saving other threatened
species.