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| Projeto TAMAR | |
|---|---|
| Name | Projeto TAMAR |
| Native name | Projeto TAMAR/ICMBio |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Hélio Ferraz de Almeida Camargo |
| Type | Non-profit conservation program |
| Headquarters | Cabo Frio |
| Area served | Brazilian coastline |
| Focus | Sea turtle conservation |
| Parent organization | Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade |
Projeto TAMAR
Projeto TAMAR is a Brazilian sea turtle conservation program established in 1980 that operates along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Brazil. The program combines field research, species protection, habitat management, and environmental education to conserve endangered marine turtles such as the leatherback sea turtle, green sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, and loggerhead sea turtle. It works with federal agencies including the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), research institutions like the Universidade Federal Fluminense, non-governmental organizations such as the Conservation International and the World Wide Fund for Nature, and international bodies including the IUCN and the Convention on Migratory Species.
The program was initiated in 1980 through partnerships among Brazilian researchers and institutions including Fundação Pró-Tamar founders and the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis before later coordination with the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade. Early collaborators included marine biologists at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and conservationists linked to Projeto Longa Vida and the Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental. Expansion during the 1980s and 1990s saw nesting site protection across states such as Rio de Janeiro (state), Bahia, Pernambuco (state), Ceará, and Maranhão. The initiative engaged with international projects like SOS Sea Turtle and researchers from institutions such as Smithsonian Institution, University of Miami, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography to adopt tagging, satellite telemetry, and conservation protocols common in programs led by NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Primary objectives include reducing mortality of endangered turtles through nest protection and bycatch mitigation, restoring nesting habitats along Brazilian beaches such as Praia do Forte and Fernando de Noronha, and fostering legal protection under instruments like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and Brazilian environmental legislation administered by agencies like the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil). The program aims to monitor population trends consistent with guidelines from the IUCN Red List and to collaborate on recovery plans akin to those developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and regional bodies such as the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute.
Operations are conducted through a network of field stations and visitor centers situated at sites including Praia do Forte, Abrolhos Marine National Park, Recife (city), and Trancoso, Bahia. Governance involves coordination between the Fundação Pró-Tamar, federal agencies such as ICMBio, and municipal authorities like the Prefeitura de Salvador. The administrative model mirrors cooperative frameworks used by organizations such as Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, integrating volunteers from universities including Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, staff trained in techniques developed at institutions like University of California, Santa Cruz, and partnerships with museums such as the Museu Nacional (Brazil), aquaria including the Aquario de São Paulo, and tourism operators serving destinations such as Ilha Grande.
Scientific activities include nest census, tagging using methods comparable to those refined at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, genetic studies in collaboration with laboratories at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and the Universidade de São Paulo, and telemetry projects linked to satellite networks used by NASA-affiliated researchers. Population assessments follow protocols similar to those endorsed by the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group and often inform national recovery strategies coordinated with the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), the Brazilian Navy, and research consortia including Rede Costa e Mar. Research outputs have been integrated into academic journals where authors are associated with institutions like Universidade Federal do Ceará, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and international collaborators at University of Exeter and James Cook University.
Education programs target coastal communities, fishers affiliated with cooperatives such as those in Ilhéus, schoolchildren linked to municipal school systems in Salvador, and tourists frequenting attractions like Fernando de Noronha (island). Outreach employs interpretive centers modeled after exhibits at institutions such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and partner projects with NGOs like Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Mangrove Action Project. Initiatives promote alternatives to activities that historically threatened turtles in regions including Baía de Todos os Santos and Recôncavo Baiano, and coordinate training for local stakeholders in collaboration with academic extension programs at Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro.
The program manages protected nesting areas and hatcheries at locations comparable to Ilha do Mel and integrates with marine protected areas such as Abrolhos Marine National Park and reserves administered by ICMBio. Release programs for rehabilitated turtles follow veterinary protocols developed with partners like the Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro and rehabilitation centers linked to the Brazilian Institute of Environment. Conservation actions include measures to reduce bycatch through gear modifications advocated by fisheries research institutions such as Embrapa and collaborative projects with regional fisheries authorities in states like Rio Grande do Norte.
The initiative has influenced ecotourism in Brazilian destinations including Praia do Forte, Porto Seguro, and Fernando de Noronha (island), inspired media coverage by outlets such as Rede Globo and publications like Revista National Geographic Brasil, and has been showcased in exhibitions at venues including the Museu de Zoologia da USP. It has fostered collaborations with cultural institutions such as the Instituto Moreira Salles and contributed to documentary projects produced by filmmakers associated with BBC Natural History Unit and Discovery Channel. Educational materials and branded campaigns have increased public awareness parallel to global movements led by organizations like Greenpeace and WWF International.
Category:Conservation organizations based in Brazil Category:Sea turtle conservation Category:Environmental organizations established in 1980