Hundreds of baby sea turtles released off coast of Nicaragua in conservation effort

By Maynor Valenzuela

SANTA TERESA, Nicaragua (Reuters) – Nicaraguan authorities and volunteers released hundreds of tiny baby turtles on the country’s Pacific coast over the weekend as part of the government’s efforts to protect endangered species.

At the Rio Escalante Chacocente wildlife reserve, more than 400 baby Paslama turtles scurried over the sand toward the ocean on Sunday afternoon.

The release was part of the government’s campaign to protect endangered turtle populations, “Together We Conserve Our Sea Turtles.”

Scientists warn various species of sea turtles and tortoises are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and climate change.

(Reporting by Maynor Valenzuela in Santa Teresa, Nicaragua; Editing by Laura Gottesdiener and Rosalba O’Brien)