I will briefly and willingly describe my experience in one of the wildlife conservation activities carried out in Venezuela. As an environmentalist we had the joy of releasing healthy specimens of terrestrial turtles of the species Chelonoidis carbonaria (red-foot) to the natural environment, which locally is called "Morrocoy".
The red-foot turtle is a species of tortoise native to the tropical (dry) forests of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyanas (among others) and some Central American countries such as Panama. They have the amazing ability to tolerate long periods of time without water or food; however, their gait is relatively slow and limited by their body morphology; yet they are excellent animals and thrive without problems in their natural habitat.
Their survival is threatened by human activity, which has dedicated itself to over-hunting and reducing their habitats with the growth of agriculture, taking them to the category of endangered species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In this sense, they are protected by the Convention on International Traffic in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Venezuela is subscribed.
These specimens were bred in captivity in specialized zoos under the supervision of veterinarians and the Venezuelan Environmental Authorities. When they reach the right size to fend for themselves, without risk, in their natural habitat they are selected and taken to the forests without publicly disclosing the details to ensure that they are not captured by unscrupulous hunters.
In the images (from my personal archive) you can see different shots of these magnificent animals when they are transported to the liberation site in southern Venezuela and their disposition penetrating the thick forest, with their instinct and natural ability to take refuge mimicking the greenery of the bushes and the ochre of the litter under their feet.
Our effort is to spread these activities to raise awareness, in order to ensure that future generations get to know and know how to preserve reducing their threats to these wonderful animals, gift of Mother Nature through years of evolution.
