Siekopai 'Turtle Women' Use Epicollect5 App to Save Charapa Turtles in Ecuadorian Amazon
In the Amazon region of Ecuador, a group of seven Indigenous Siekopai women, referred to as Tari Nomiowa'i or "turtle women," are combining traditional wisdom with modern technology to safeguard the Vulnerable charapa turtle (Podocnemis unifilis). Led by community leader Janeth Piaguaje, they patrol the Aguarico River to find turtle nests and gather eggs for incubation, aiming to protect hatchlings from predators. Their efforts are documented using the Epicollect5 app. Over the past year, they successfully collected 235 eggs, leading to the release of 208 hatchlings into the river. Piaguaje pointed out that pollution and hunting pose significant risks to turtle populations, emphasizing the spiritual importance of their mission, which honors river spirits and reinforces their culture. The Siekopai consider charapa turtles to be under the protection of Koouwajëo, their ancestral guardian.
Key facts
- Seven Siekopai women, called Tari Nomiowa'i or "turtle women," work to protect charapa turtles in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
- The charapa turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), also known as the yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle, is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
- The women use the Epicollect5 app to record date, time, location, and number of eggs in each nest.
- Community leader Janeth Piaguaje learned traditional egg-handling skills from her father.
- In the last year, the group collected 235 eggs and released 208 hatchlings into the Aguarico River.
- Hatchlings are fed cassava, sweet potato, and taro leaves during their first month of life.
- The Siekopai believe the turtles are protected by Koouwajëo, a deity considered their mother, chief, and ancestral guardian.
- Piaguaje told Mongabay that pollution and hunting have decimated turtle populations, with plastic, garbage bags, and dead animals observed in the river.
Entities
Artists
- Janeth Piaguaje
Institutions
- Siekopai
- IUCN
- Mongabay
- Tari Nomiowa'i
- Conservation International
- Conservación Internacional Ecuador
- SEMMA – Secretaria Municipal de Meio Ambiente
Locations
- Ecuadorian Amazon
- Ecuador
- Aguarico River