Richard Munday, the Desk Officer for our Conservation project in the Amazonian rainforest of Peru, has sent in this update about the most recent work with turtles, enjoy!

The sun rising over the beach, a beautiful sight, even after a night of no sleep!

The middle of July and throughout August, Taricaya’s principle activity was our Turtle Repopulation project (locally known as the Taricaya Turtle – Otherwise known as the Yellow Spotted Side necked Turtle – Podoc Nemis Unifilis)

This project has been running at Taricaya for 3 years now, this year seeing us break all previous records in regards to nest collection – 55 nests in total, each nest containing an average of 30 eggs, which means we have roughly 1500 baby turtles to come.

On the left, Melvin our local guide and Kim Gajraj starting to dig for the nest

The Taricaya turtle eggs are a very popular protein source for the local people. Although illegal to take these nests it is very easy to do so and there are very few people around to stop the activity taking place. Our main role was to patrol the beach called Playa Alta (High Beach) – Playa Alta is actually an island in the middle of the Madre de Dios River.
Whilst patrolling is a very effective way to stop poachers from coming on to the island, it is not a full proof method in keeping the nests safe, as poachers will come the moment the beach is not protected. This means that we had to collect the nests we found and take them back to Taricaya where we have an artificial beach to keep them safe until they hatch.

One of the nests being removed from the beach

Now that the collecting part of the project is complete, we have nothing to do but begin prepare the reports that need to be presented to the government and wait for the turtles to hatch, which takes about 70 days.

It will be another 6 months before we actually release the turtles back in to the rivers, this gives them enough time to harden their shells and grow a few millimetres, which minimises predation by an extra few percent.
Although this is only a small help to the population of the Taricaya Turtle, our aims are growing year on year, next year in fact will see us working with two islands and hopefully will mean we can increase the effects the project is having on the general population even further.

Last years Turtles Being released on the same beach they were collected from

Stay tuned for more information on this project…

You can also read more about all the different projects our Conservation volunteers are working on in the jungle here!

When you travel to foreign countries it is inevitable that you will have plenty of new experiences and come to a deeper level of cultural understanding by trying new things and going out of your comfort zone. Trying bokdrol spoeg or kudu dung spitting when I was recently in Botswana hits all of these points!

Back in August I flew from Cape Town to southern Botswana to visit the staff and volunteers on our Conservation program for a couple of days. I was expecting to travel through a stunning landscape, see some wild animals and observe as much of this exciting new program as I could, all of which I was able to do. But I was not expecting bokdrol spoeg which is roughly translates as kudu dung spitting and within the Afrikaans community it is indeed considered a real sport.

On my first day after we finished lunch under this massive baobab tree (above) a perfect pile of dried kudu pellets was found and a game of bokdrol spoeg was suggested (Thanks a lot David!). The basic aim of the sport is to see who can spit a kudu pellet the farthest from behind a set line sort of like spitting cherry pits. But when the dust settled the volunteers and I were shown what amateurs we were by Gerrit, our Conservation Director, who won every game.

Anyone think this should be our next Sports placement? Any takers?

Harry Kent, our Desk Officer, showing his fine form in mid-spit

Ed. Note: I think it says something about our “corporate” culture that when Projects Abroad staff get together for a golf outing everyone minus Mr. Birbeck is wearing jeans or sneakers or business casual but no golf wear in sight!

Michael, the Director of our German office, with a bunker shot

A couple of weeks ago in the UK office we had a gathering of our overseas recruitment directors. It was good to be able to welcome Frank Seidel from our France office and Michael Harms from our German office. After a hard day at work it was time to relax. Our Director Peter Slowe was keen to get out his boat for a trip down river. A look of fear appeared over Frank and Michael’s faces having heard of other trips on the craft which is pretty full with two in it but with the prospect of four it is liable to sink. Eventually tide times came to their rescue as it was not going to be possible to go out.

A new brainwave came over me to take the guys out golfing. Both Frank and Michael were new to the game but eager to hit the famous Littlehampton pitch & putt course. I think it is fair to say that Frank mastered the intricacies of the game quicker than Michael. Michael tried to relive a famous German golfing memory of Bernhard Langer playing out of a tree. He also played a fine shot out of the bunker. Frank took to it like a duck to water.

It wasn’t quite like the Ryder Cup when the guy who takes the money decided he had enough and was going to take the flags in. Having completed the round the assembled gang decided to have a go at crazy golf which lived up to it’s name.

-Ian

More great action shots after the jump …..

MORE…

Peter, our Director with a marvelous shot

Frank, the French office Director concentrating hard

Ian scratching his head after witnessing all the “golf” during the evening in question

Young Ethiopians Celebrating (Source: AP)

Hasn’t the millennium already happened? Well for most of the world you would be correct but not in Ethiopia. Ethiopia heralded in the 21st century on Wednesday, September 12th. It celebrates the millennium seven years after the rest of the world because it follows the Coptic calendar instead of the more common Gregorian.

Happy Millennium to all our staff and volunteers in Ethiopia! Enjoy the celebrations!