– ‘Arya Takes A Swim’ educates, inspires children on marine conservation in Guyana

“Arya Takes A Swim,” a children’s book highlighting turtle tagging in Guyana and the significance of preserving the country’s untouched beaches and natural surroundings, was officially introduced by Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) Guyana on Thursday.

The source of inspiration for this tale can be traced back to the Turtle Telemetry Programme, which is situated at Shell Beach. The commencement of programme took place in May and June of 2023 at Shell Beach Protected Area.

The programme encompassed the tagging of seven turtles in order to gain insight into their migration patterns and support EMC’s conservation endeavours.

The initiative aimed to tag and track sea turtles using satellite transmitters that were mounted on their shells. A total of seven turtles were tagged: five leatherbacks, one green turtle, and one hawksbill.

The sole green turtle was named Arya, after First Lady Arya Ali, in recognition of her commitment to nature, and environmental protection.

The collaboration between EMC, the Turtle Conservancy (TC), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS), and the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) made this programme a reality. Additionally, the programme was funded by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL).

The First Lady asserted that the publication of this book was evidence of our nation’s ongoing commitment to employ all available means to promote awareness about safeguarding the environment and its inhabitants.

She said, “This book marks a groundbreaking initiative as Guyana’s first children’s book dedicated to Turtle Telemetry, tagging, and tells the story of Guyana’s sea turtle conservation efforts and the importance of Shell Beach.”

Mrs. Ali congratulated EMC and the authors and artists behind this invaluable addition to education and awareness.

She remarked that it is important that we understand the significance of ‘Arya Takes A Swim’ within the context of Guyana’s development.

“Guyana’s environmental credentials are among the most respected on the planet. And this is not by chance or luck. It is as a result of prudent management of our environmental resources and deep appreciation for natural assets that our country possesses,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shyam Nokta, the Managing Director of EMC, elucidated that turtle tagging has been carried out at Shell Beach in Guyana for an extended period, while turtle telemetry is a recently introduced and inventive method for monitoring sea turtles.

The narrative of Arya the turtle is a compelling account that stands apart from others due to its depiction of Arya’s voyage and encounters as a sea turtle, as well as Guyana’s diligent endeavours in sea turtle conservation and the significance of Shell Beach.

The Managing Director emphasised, “At EMC it is our hope that this story of Arya the turtle, will ignite the curiosity and passion among Guyanese youth, prompting them to explore, and to learn about sea turtles at a time when they are competing with devices for our children’s attention. We believe that it is initiatives like this, that will inspire the younger generation to want to read more, to connect with nature, to experience Guyana’s rich, natural environment, and, hopefully, to be motivated to act, to protect, and preserve these amazing creatures and their habitats.”