In a significant conservation effort on the Colombian Pacific coast, CVC director Marco Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez, alongside the local community and the Guardians of the Mangrove Association, released 80 newborn Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), bringing the total number of turtles released since 2012 to over 9,000.
The Olive Ridley is classified as a threatened species, facing numerous threats including coastal erosion, poaching, and ocean pollution. Two turtle nurseries operate in the region, ensuring the safe hatching of turtle eggs: one in Puerto España-Miramar, led by Romelia Ruiz and her family, and another in Punta Bonita, near the Cajambre River, managed by the Guardians of the Mangrove Association.
Community engagement initiatives have significantly advanced the protection of this species, actively involving youth and children in conservation efforts. Suárez Gutiérrez emphasized the community's commitment to safeguarding the mangrove ecosystem and sea turtles, noting that only one in a thousand turtles reaches adulthood and reproduces, highlighting the long process that increases extinction risk. The CVC supports and celebrates these vital actions.