Wampís to release aquatic turtles in the Kankaim Basin, Morona

The Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation (GTANW), through the management groups of the San Juan, Puerto Juan, Sánchez Cerro, and San Francisco de Chiwaza communities in the Morona District, Datem del Marañón Province, will be releasing 3,205 hatchlings of Yellow-spotted river turtles “Taricaya” and 75 hatchlings of Arrau turtles “Charapa” into their respective ponds on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of December 2023. This activity marks the commencement of the recovery of aquatic turtle populations (taricaya and charapa) in the Morona River basin, within the jurisdiction of the Wampis Nation’s territory.

This population management work is facilitated by the Transformative Pathways project and implemented by the GTANW. The activities began in July with the identification of committed communities, families and individuals, whose skills have been strengthened through training in various processes related to turtle management. This work began by collecting eggs from the natural environment and then planting them on semi-natural beaches in the communities. In total, 138 Taricaya nests and 5 Charapa nests were managed.

With this project, the GTANW specifically aims to preserve the potential of its biodiversity, developing autonomous management instruments to secure their land governance. Through this initiative, the GTANW reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of the natural resources within its territory.