Rainforest people go from eating to protecting rare turtle

January 28, 2000
Web posted at: 3:52 p.m. EST (2052 GMT)

	VIDEO
CNN's Gary Strieker investigates how natives of the Brazilian Amazon are protecting a declining turtle population. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

AMAZONAS, Brazil (CNN) -- In this remote part of the tropical rainforest, the indigenous people rarely saw turtles because they ate their eggs. Now they rarely see them because many of the reptiles are on the brink of extinction.

But thanks to a unique partnership with conservationists, forest dwellers are helping to save the rare yellow-spotted side-necked turtle.

Join Correspondent Gary Strieker as he trudges through the Mamiraua Reserve, talking turtles with environmentalists and locals.

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