By
Sibila Gonzalez Ducreux
Fotos: Rubén Flores Ulloa.
The practice of watching
sea turtles laying their eggs on a tropical beach seems to be gaining
popularity as an eco-tourist activity. One place to view the action
is Isla Cañas, a small island located off the coast at Pedasí,
in the province of Los Santos on the Azuero Peninsula.
This remote island is
a sanctuary for five of the world’s six sea turtle species,
although the majority of specimens that lay their eggs on Isla Cañas’
beaches belong to the Olivacea species.
A coconut-tree-lined coast.
The island is part of
the Isla Cañas Wildlife Refuge, a protected area of 25,433
hectares (including land and marine surfaces) encompassing white-sand
beaches, mangrove forests and secluded coves. Rich in fish, shrimp
and other commercial species, this remote area attracted many foreign,
illegal fishing vessels until the 1980's, a time when the number
of turtles on the island also diminished, due to the extensive collection
of eggs by the local population.
An office of ANAM, Panama's
national environmental entity, was opened on the island.
Local authorities still
chase illegal fishing vessels every now and then, and the effort
to save Isla Caña's turtles has seen positive results, although
locals continue to gather turtle eggs (the eggs are rich in nutrients)
for consumption. But they have also become the main protectors of
the species, leaving a majority of eggs to continue their normal
life cycle. The township has organized 12 committees which take
turns in patrolling the beaches at night to save the eggs from human
and animal predators.
Students from all over the world help locals protect the turtle
eggs.
Biologists believe that
approximately 115,000 turtles were born on the shores of Isla Cañas
per annum prior to the arrival of mass illegal fishing. Although
the number is substantially lower nowadays, between 3,000 and 5,000
adult females come to the island's beaches to lay their eggs each
year.
Despite the fact it is
still considered "off the beaten path", Isla Cañas
is becoming a destination for eco-tourists, scientists and college
students from Panama and abroad. Last year alone, 1,050 people from
France, Italy, Mexico, Spain Switzerland, and the United States
visited the island.
A Ridley Olive turtle.
ANAM manages a group
of rustic cabins on the island, which can be rented for US$5.00
or $10.00 per night. The township of Isla Cañas is a tiny,
rural community with a humble eatery, and a handful of grocery stores.
Larger accommodations are found in the cities of Las Tablas or Chitré,
between two and three hours away.
For more information,
call: 6552-0833 or send an e-mail to: lynethzulay17@hotmail.com
