Projeto TAMAR

We are Projeto TAMAR, and our name is a combination of the Portuguese words for sea turtle, 'tartaruga marinha.' Our story began in Brazil in 1980, at a time when the future of these ancient marine creatures was in grave danger. Along the vast Brazilian coastline, five distinct species of sea turtles were swimming toward extinction. For generations, people had hunted them for their meat and eggs, and their beautiful shells were used to make crafts. The populations of loggerhead, hawksbill, olive ridley, green, and leatherback turtles were shrinking so quickly that we knew something had to be done to protect them before they disappeared from our oceans forever. Our mission was clear from the start: to protect these turtles and ensure their survival.

When we first began our work, we understood that we could not succeed alone. The coastal communities where turtles came to nest had a long history of hunting them. To change this, we needed to make these communities our partners. Our core strategy was built on this idea of collaboration. Instead of viewing the local fishermen and hunters as a problem, we saw them as the key to the solution. We decided to hire some of these former turtle hunters to become the very first 'TAMAR-zeiros,' a name we created for our dedicated turtle protectors. This approach was transformative. It provided new, stable jobs for people who depended on the ocean for their livelihood. More importantly, it allowed us to tap into their deep, traditional knowledge of the sea—their understanding of the seasons, the currents, and the turtles' behavior. This local expertise became one of our most powerful tools for conservation, turning former hunters into our most important and passionate allies.

Our work is very hands-on and takes place along more than 1,100 kilometers of the Brazilian coast. This is where the female turtles make their long journeys to lay their eggs on the same beaches where they were born. Our teams of TAMAR-zeiros patrol these beaches day and night during the nesting season. Their job is to find and protect the nesting females, making sure they can lay their eggs without being disturbed. We carefully mark and monitor each nest. Sometimes, a nest is laid in a location that is too risky, perhaps too close to the tide line or in an area with heavy foot traffic. In these cases, we carefully relocate the eggs to safer spots on the beach or to our open-air hatcheries. These protected areas keep the eggs safe from predators and other dangers. When the tiny hatchlings emerge from the sand, we are there to protect them on their first, critical journey to the sea, guarding them from birds and crabs until they reach the waves.

Beyond protecting nests, our mission involves a great deal of scientific research to better understand the lives of sea turtles. To learn about their long-distance travels, we attach small, harmless tags and sophisticated satellite transmitters to some of the turtles. This technology allows us to track their migration routes across the vast ocean, revealing where they go to feed and grow. This information helps us identify important marine habitats that also need protection. Our work also involves rescuing and rehabilitating turtles that are in trouble. We operate rescue centers where our veterinarians and biologists care for turtles that have been found sick or injured. Many are stranded on beaches or have been accidentally caught in fishing gear. Our primary goal is always to nurse them back to health and return them to their ocean home as soon as they are strong enough to survive on their own.

We believe that conservation is most effective when people understand and care about the animals we are trying to protect. That’s why environmental education is a central part of our work. We have established visitor centers in several coastal communities, and these have become popular destinations for both tourists and local students. Inside, visitors can see turtles in our aquariums and learn about their life cycle through interactive exhibits. These centers provide a powerful way for us to share our story and teach thousands of people each year about the importance of marine conservation. The income we generate from ticket sales at these centers is also vital. It helps fund our research, our beach patrols, and our rescue operations, creating a sustainable model for our conservation efforts while also bringing economic benefits to the local communities we work with.

Even with decades of progress, our work is far from over. Today, sea turtles face a new set of serious threats that are different from the hunting that nearly wiped them out. One of the biggest dangers is plastic pollution in the ocean. Turtles often mistake plastic bags and other debris for food, like jellyfish, which can cause internal injuries and starvation. Another major challenge is climate change. Rising sea levels can erode and flood nesting beaches, washing away precious eggs. Warmer sand temperatures also affect the sex of the hatchlings, as temperature determines whether a developing turtle becomes male or female. An imbalance could lead to future population problems. Finally, accidental capture in fishing nets and lines, a problem known as bycatch, remains a constant threat to turtles of all ages.

For more than four decades, we have dedicated ourselves to protecting sea turtles along the coast of Brazil. Our efforts have led to a significant milestone: we have helped more than 40 million turtle hatchlings safely reach the ocean. This is a number that gives us great hope. In the areas where we have long-term protection programs, sea turtle populations are showing clear signs of recovery. Nesting numbers have increased, and more and more turtles are returning to these protected beaches each year. Our work continues every single day, fueled by the belief that these ancient mariners have a right to swim freely in our oceans. We remain committed to our mission, working with science and communities to ensure that sea turtles will thrive for generations to come.