¡Viva la Tortuga!

As Andrew Revkin points out at the Dot Earth blog:

The documentary chronicles how communities that once depended on sea turtle poaching and other activities depleting the region’s rich natural resources are now testing a new economic model, one built around fishing with turtle conservation in mind and tourism focused on the area’s extraordinary marine life.

Following the lead of the fishermen who work Grupo Tortuguero and working with fishermen in the coastal communities where we work, we are protecting sea turtles and helping sustainable fishing cooperatives better manage marine resources.

Earth Day Clean-up at Laguna de Tiscapa

Saturday, April 21st, in cooperation with partner organizations FONARE, Recicla Nica, and Comite Ballena Azul, and with assistance from the Nicaraguan army, we set out to clean up 2500 feet of shore along Laguna de Tiscapa.

	A volcanic lagoon in Nicaragua's capital city, Laguna de Tiscapa has ecological, historical, and sentimental significance for many Managuans. Thirty years ago, you could see families relaxing in the lagoon and children learning to swim. Today, unfortunately, it is contaminated with runoff and garbage.
	We were careful to separate the waste we collected on Saturday. Good solid waste management means recycling as much as possible. Plastic, aluminum, and other items of garbage don't disintegrate.
	The slopes of the lagoon were full of garbage when we started on Saturday. Most of the litter was comprised of plastic bags and straws from nearby eateries, market stalls, and the neighboring military hospital.
	Sad sight: floating solid waste clinging to the rocks and shores of the lagoon. Please remember to pick up your garbage and to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Do your part!
	Volunteers joined staff and friends of Paso Pacífico, FONARE, Recicla Nica, and Comite Ballena Azul to pick up garbage all day. We removed 18 cubic meters of trash. Thank you to everyone involved!

Report from the field: Yellow-Naped Amazon nests

	Parrots require tall trees for nesting or large, mature trees which form natural cavities, where the parrots like to lay their eggs. Without suitable nesting sites, parrots don't nest. Look closely and you'll see one of two nesting Yellow-naped parrots guarding a nest opening.
	And the two newly hatched chicks he's protecting.  This is one of twenty nests being protected by members of our incentive program. Yellow-naped parrots only have two eggs per clutch, which makes it harder to ensure a healthy population.
	Remember our artificial parrot nests? No parrots have had clutches in them, yet.
	But the local squirrels have taken up residence.
	This is what a baby Central American squirrel looks like.
	This woolly opossum (Caluromys derbianus)  made himself at home, as well.

A celebrar la Tierra, limpiando Tiscapa!

El sabado 21 de abril en cooperacion con el ejercito y otras organizaciones ambientalistas asi como ciudadanos volutarios nos dispusimos a realizar una limpieza en la Laguna de Tiscapa. La limpieza de 2,500 metros lineales de andenes y la recolección de 18 metros cúbicos de desechos sólidos fue el resultado del trabajo realizado por esta jornada ecologica.

	La laguna de Tiscapa en uno de los mantos acuiferos que embellece la ciudad capital, es una laguna historica y de origen volcanico, es parte de la memoria historica y colectiva de los managua y los nicaraguenses. Aun en la decada de los 80 los nicaraguenses podian bajar a banarse en su aguas, muchos aprendieron a nadar aqui. Hoy en dia es un manto acuifero contaminado por que alli se depositan parte de los desechos liquidos de la capital, recibe basura que viaja a traves del viento por los alrededores.
	Se ubicaron basureros para separar los desechos en su debido reciclaje. Es necesario separa los desechos, asi podremos reciclar mejor y sacar provecho de ello, recordemos nada se desintegra solo.
	Las laderas de la laguna llenas de basura. Bolsas plasticas , pajillas eran la mayor parte de los desechos atrapados en la ladera de la laguna, estos desechos vienen de los puestos de comiderias ubicados en los alrededores del hospital militar y el mercado. las laderas de la laguna llenas de basura.
	Residuos solidos flotando estancados en las orillas de la laguna. Que triste. Recordemos reducir, reciclar, rechazar, reintegrar, reusar la basura. Hace tu parte.
	Voluntarios de movimientos ambientalistas trabajando en la jornada. Nica Recicla y Movimiento ambientalista Ballena Azul han trabajado con nosotros en esta causa de conservar los hermosos recursos que adornan Nicaragua. 18 metros cubicos de basura fueron los recolectados! Gracias a todos.

What are you doing on the ground?

	Anyone who has spent time in Central America undoubtedly knows what howler monkeys sound like, but it can be difficult to spot them among the branches of the trees where they roost.
	Thanks to our camera traps, we "caught" this howler on one of the private reserves where we cooperate with the landowner to ensure forest connectivity.
	Howler monkeys are also known to be an arboreal species, meaning they spend all their lives in the trees. So what is this guy doing on the ground?

From Turtle Harvest to Turtle Home

Over at One World One Ocean's blog, The Water Column, Sarah Bedolfe tells a story from Indonesia which will sound very familiar to Paso Pacífico's friends and followers:

For generations, the island residents of Runduma, Indonesia have been harvesting sea turtle eggs.  

The egg harvest was a tradition... eggs were eaten as well as sold for about 1,000 rupiah (9 cents) each and used for community expenses–fixing a new water filtration system, helping poor families send their kids to school–making them important for the local economy.
However, the turtles are endangered and a lot has changed in Runduma in recent years. Far from being the turtles’ hunters, the islanders are now their allies... 

Now, the people of Runduma no longer need to harvest turtle eggs to make a living. Instead, they are thriving while working to save the turtles.

We are always pleased to hear about efforts to save endangered sea turtles, and especially glad to see that others having success creating a culture of conservation.

Read more about sea turtle credits and incentive payments for conservation.

Help save turtle species!

Our partners at the Turtle Conservancy have been selected as a featured charity partner on CharitySub.org. They are raising money from their community of online donors in April to help support biodiversity. With over 800 species forced into extinction in the past 500 years, they are working hard to protect the most endangered turtles and tortoises and their habitats worldwide.

Vote to support their project.