Even on a rainy day,  children and their parents, residents of the Solar do Unhão community, were very excited. They just really wanted to know the Tamar Project in Praia do forte. This was the first destiny of a tour organized by the Bahia Marina environmental education and social communication program, with more than 40 participants, including kids and their parents. The objective was to promote the knowledge of the marine habitat and its preservation, through direct contact with animals.

During the guided tour “the sea turtle´s world”, four of the 5 species from the national coast (the Big-Headed, the Hawksbill, the Olive Ridley, the Green) preserved by the Tamar Project, were presented didactically, besides fishes, sharks and the stingrays.

Knowledge

Ana Claudia Rodrigues, 33, mother of two (Fabricio and Juliana Rodrigues), present on the tour, talked about how satisfied she was about the Project. ”I think it was very interesting and educative. I learned a lot about nature and I saw things I just saw on tv”

Teenager Izadora Morais, 14 years old, was impressed with what she saw: “I think the tour was very special and fun, because we had the opportunity to touch some animals we had never touched before, such as stingrays. We also took some pictures close to the sharks. Even on a rainy day, it was very good. I learned a lot about the turtles and about not throwing trash in the sea, so we do not hurt the sea animals”, she said.

One of the parents present on the tour, complimented the itinerary and the commitment of Bahia Marina in promoting activities like that to the community. Julinaldo Rocha, 35, father of Enzo Ricardo, 12, and Rickison Santos, 14, visited the project for the first time with his children:”I thought it was great, the group of people together, the knowledge about the environment, its preservation and the piece of culture we got here. I was really surprised with the commitment of Bahia Marina, developing this work. To my children, it was a great learning and that is why I motivated them to come over”, he said.

Yellow Submarine

During the tour, the children did not get excited only about the turtles, sharks and stingrays. In the yellow submarine, they could appreciate a unique exposition in Latin America, with animals living in the depths of the ocean (around 500 meters) and touch them.

Taialane Vitória, 14, remembered how was the feeling of touching the giant sea cockroach (Bathynomus giganteus), even in cold water. “I experienced things that I never did before in my life. I loved to touch the sea cockroach from the depths of the ocean. I learned about the seven turtle species in the world, five from Brazil and four are here in Bahia. All of this will be worthwhile in the future.”

Besides the giant cockroaches, morays and the hagfish blew the kid´s minds. Tarsis Victor was one of them. “I loved to see many different kinds of fish that I have never seen before. And it was very nice to see the hagfish.”