Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Sea turtles in the Guanabara Bay of Rio de Janeiro are healthier now that authorities have made efforts to clean up the harbour’s water, after struggling for years with a disease that hampers their movement, sight and feeding, and ultimately leads to their death. The bay, surrounded by a dense urban population, was once a nursery for marine life but over the years suffered from sewage and other garbage being dumped there. In 2022, scientists found that three quarters of sea turtles were carrying the tumors. While research is still ongoing, Gustavo Baila, an oceanographer and professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande, said sea turtles have been healthier since 2023. Brazil is home to five of the seven species of sea turtles that exist worldwide.
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