In the Dominican Republic, the Environment Ministry yesterday announced the protection of leatherback turtles during the hatching period at La Altagracia province.

Environment crews were deployed at Lavacama Beach, Laguna de Nisibón and the Ria Maimon protected area, monitored since mid-March, when the first leatherback (Dermocherly coriaceae) females began arriving to lay eggs.

The Environment La Altagracia province office said 1,364 hatchlings of the species I danger of extinction were released, exceeding previous years. “The method was performed for the first time in Lavacama beach. In this season 19 nests of eggs were protected, which were brought to the protection center at the Ria Maimon protected area. Only six were raided.”

[. . .] Environment also announced the confiscation of two trucks seized in two raids in Yaguate, San Cristobal (south) carrying illegally gravel and wood logs. It said Julio Cesar Almonte was arrested when driving a truck hauling gravel, whereas Marino Guzman was detained for carrying tree trunks without a permit.

Since former Justice Minister Francisco Dominguez took over the Environment Ministry in August surveillance in rivers and devastated areas has been heightened, to halt the extraction of aggregates and illegal lumbering.

For original article, see http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2016/9/26/60726/Environment-protects-leatherback-turtle-hatchlings-seizes-trucks

[Photo from http://dermochelys.weebly.com/references.html.]