Photo of the Month (January 2026 Edition): The Beginning of a Long Journey

The conservation story of sea turtles is one of the most exemplary cases of how research and action can bring hope for the future of endangered species. Forty years ago, the Brazilian State decided to join forces with civil society on behalf of the “ambassadors of the ocean.” At first, it was not easy at all. Only after one generation of turtles (just over a decade) did results appear and the numbers begin to improve, although they are still worrying, showing how conservation projects must be continuous and long-term.

Today, despite the gradual recovery of populations, sea turtles are still threatened with extinction. At sea, they face “accidental” capture by fishing, ghost nets, and pollution, especially by plastic. On land, the problem is the rapid loss of nesting areas. Without suitable beaches for nesting, future generations of sea turtles remain seriously at risk.

For nesting and hatchlings to succeed, beaches must be dark and little disturbed by urbanization and tourism. In addition, beach erosion caused by rising sea levels and extreme weather events also makes the birth of new generations of turtles unviable. So, if the struggle of the past four decades was to increase sea turtle populations, the struggle of the next four decades will be to keep their habitat at least minimally suitable for marine life.