MANAUS-AMAZONAS, BRAZIL - The releases took place between February 6 and 7.
On the first day, 1,377 baby turtles were released in the Nova Geração community.
The following day, another 3,545 baby turtles were released in the neighboring community of São Sebastião do Igapó-Açu, totaling 4,922 baby turtles released into the wild.
The project, which has been in existence since 2010, transfers eggs of tracajás - a species of turtle typical of the Amazon - collected by volunteers during dry rivers and taken to protected areas.
The release of the hatchlings, carried out during the flood season, aims to protect the species and the environment.
The program has already returned more than 70,000 hatchlings to nature in communities in the municipalities of Borba, Careiro, Manicoré and Beruri, in the state of Amazonas.
To manage and preserve the turtles, the riverside population of these communities receives guidance through lectures and training in environmental education with specialists from the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam).
The release of turtles not only helps protect endangered species, but also contributes to maintaining the health of the rivers and local biodiversity.
Turtles and tracajás contribute to the populations of other species, in addition to transforming animal protein into organic matter, participating in the cycling of nutrients and cleaning the rivers.

Source: Amazon Agency