Projeto TAMAR

Hello! We are Projeto TAMAR. Our full name is a bit long, but in the Portuguese language, it stands for Tartarugas Marinhas, which means Sea Turtles. We are a special conservation project in the country of Brazil. We began our work back in 1980 because we saw that the beautiful sea turtles in our oceans needed help. There are five different species, or types, of sea turtles that swim to the coast of Brazil to lay their eggs. Our main purpose is to protect all of them.

One of our most important jobs happens on the sandy beaches. When a mother sea turtle is ready to lay her eggs, she digs a nest in the sand. Our teams carefully find these nests and watch over them. Why do they need our protection? Sometimes, other animals might try to dig up the eggs, or people might accidentally walk over the nest without knowing it is there. We put up signs and make sure the area is safe. We are like guardians for the nests, making sure the eggs can stay warm and protected until they are ready to hatch.

After a few weeks, something wonderful happens: the baby turtles hatch! These tiny turtles have a very big and difficult journey ahead of them. They must crawl all the way from their nest across the sand to reach the ocean. We are there to help make sure they get to the water safely. By watching over them, we help protect them on this first important trip. Because of our work for many years, we have helped millions and millions of baby turtles make it to the sea to begin their new lives.

We know that we cannot protect all the turtles by ourselves. To do this big job, we need many friends and helpers. That is why we partner with the people who live in the coastal communities near the beaches. We especially work with local fishermen. In the past, they did not always know how to protect the turtles, but now, they are some of the turtles’ greatest protectors! We also help people in the community find good jobs that don't harm the ocean. This way, both the people and the sea turtles can live happily.

Our work continues every single day. Today, we run visitor centers in several locations along the coast. Here, people can come and learn all about sea turtles and why it is so important to protect them. You can see how we care for the animals and understand the conservation efforts we do. We are always studying and protecting these amazing creatures. We want to make sure that sea turtles will always swim in Brazil's oceans for many, many years to come, for everyone to appreciate and admire.