Tamar Project: Conservation and Education in Ecotourism Activities Related to Turtles in Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil

Abstract

The TAMAR Project (Marine Turtle Project) has focused on the research and conservation of sea turtles along the Brazilian coast since 1980, with 23 research bases and nine visitor centers throughout the country. On the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha (Northeast of Brazil), the TAMAR works since 1984, because it is a strategic location for food and nesting of these kind of turtles. Fernando de Noronha is one of the country’s leading ecotourism destinations. It is a National Park, a Biosphere Reserve, and a proposed UNESCO Geopark project is being developed. The turtles were important in the recognition of the area as a World Heritage Site, also designated by UNESCO. In Noronha, TAMAR’s efforts are in scientific research activities, conservation and management, environmental education, awareness, and community action. Understanding the importance of environmental awareness, the TAMAR project develops various activities that allow participation by the public. These include turtle nest openings, “tartarugada” (activity during the night, when the turtle makes nest on the beaches) and intentional capture of sea turtles. There are nightly exhibitions and environmental education talks at the Visitor Center. During the daylight hours, the team seeks out and captures turtles by diving and snorkeling for the sole purpose of research to support the sustainability of the turtles. Tourists have the opportunity to follow this exciting field research, and they are encouraged to take pictures and interact with the turtles. This high degree of interaction develops awareness about the importance of field research and the importance of conservation and research in Noronha.