Improvement of conservation efforts to olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) on the Rio Real mouth

TAMAR has been working on the protection, research and management of the five sea turtles species that occur in Brazil, all of which are threatened: the loggerhead, hawksbill, green, olive ridley and leatherback turtle. Tamar was created in 1980, and is internationally recognized as one of the most successful marine conservation projects. Its community-based conservation program may serve as an example to other endeavors. Pro-Tamar Foundation is a non-profit non-governmental organization created in 1988. It is responsible together with ICMBio of the development of the “National Action Plan for the Conservation of Sea Turtles in Brazi. TAMAR protects approximately 1.100 km of beaches in Brazil, through 25 research stations at the main sea turtle nesting and feeding areas. Even though most of the turtle species in Brazil are under recovery, current threats identified at the main olive ridley nesting area are of concern. The high rate of nest predation (eggs and hatchlings) by foxes added to the bycatch of nesting females by the trawl fishery fleet may cause an impact in the population trend observed. Here we propose to reduce the proportion of nests predated by foxes and increase enforcement measures of the trawling fleet in the region.