My name is Adara González, and I am a marine biologist dedicated to protecting biodiversity on Margarita Island, Venezuela. As the driving force behind Turtle Point, I lead a project focused on the conservation of sea turtles in their nesting areas, working under the premise that ‘life nests here’ on our coasts. My work is carried out in close collaboration with local communities, using art and education as tools to highlight the importance of the leatherback turtle and its habitat. I am also a proud member of the Zoological Society of London’s EDGE of Existence programme, a global initiative dedicated to protecting the most evolutionarily distinct and globally threatened species on the planet.
My career path and the structure of Turtle Point have been profoundly transformed thanks to my EDGE Fellowship, which allowed me to participate in an intensive course on conservation tools at Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, Brazil, in 2024. This experience provided me with advanced technical knowledge in project management, logical frameworks, and strategic communication, which are fundamental to shaping the objectives and goals of my current work. Beyond skills in statistics and ecology, this Fellowship has integrated me into an international network of conservation leaders, allowing me to address marine conservation challenges with a more comprehensive, humane, and resilient vision for the benefit of future generations.
One Cap, a Thousand Colours: A Shoreline Where Community Meets the Leatherback
On the sun-drenched shores of El Agua Beach, Margarita Island, a giant quietly asks for our help: the imposing Cardón, or Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). As plastic pollution increasingly threatens nesting beaches, we faced a pressing question – how do we inspire a community to actively engage in protecting this ancient ocean wanderer. The answer emerged through transforming what could become marine debris into a monumental work of art and a powerful symbol of hope.
From Plastic to Purpose: Building Community Awareness
Through the Turtle Point project, we understood that our response had to be visible, enduring, and, above all, participatory. The idea emerged to create a large-scale mural using coloured plastic bottle caps, transforming discarded waste into the skin of the Cardón Turtle itself. In doing so, we addressed two urgent realities at once: the need to protect the Cardón and the growing threat of plastic pollution along its nesting beaches.
At the heart of the project was collective mobilisation. The residents of El Agua Beach were invited to take part in collecting bottle caps, joined by motorcycle clubs and every member of the Turtle Point team. What began as a simple act of gathering quickly became a shared commitment.
This spirit of collaboration soon extended beyond Margarita Island. The Akupara Project in Playa Puipuy which visited at the end of 2024, offered vital support by donating three sacks containing more than 5,000 bottle caps, each one different in colour and size. The National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA) then made it possible to move these materials, coordinating their transport free of charge, safely, and in record time.
Bringing the Giant Cardón to Life
With the material secured, the artistic phase could begin. The Ministry of Tourism offered the perfect setting, a beachside wall to serve as our canvas. Highly visible and expansive, it stretched over ten metres in length and six metres in height, waiting to be transformed.
Designing the Cardón was a team effort. Artists Melchor (designer), Amer and Eduardo (layout artists) worked side by side to create the design and project it onto the wall. The first lines traced the outline of the turtle, marking the moment when the giant began to emerge from the blank space. What followed was the most intense and community-oriented stage of the project:
- Sorting Day: We held a one-day event focused on sorting and separating thousands of bottle caps by colour, a meticulous but crucial step that ensured the artistic design was executed correctly.
- A Month of Art and Unity: Over the course of a month, tourists, the local community, and the Turtle Point team gathered daily to glue each cap in place. Slowly, the white wall transformed into a vibrant seascape, as the body of the Cardón and the surrounding waves took shape from thousands of plastic fragments.
Piece by piece, the ocean’s quiet giant was brought to life, not by a single hand, but by many.
A Message in Bottle Caps: Welcome to the Home of the Cardón Turtle
The finished mural bursts with life, the exuberant Cardón Turtle glides across a sea of vibrant bottle-cap blues, surrounded by playful glimpses of marine life. Every fragment of colour brings the shoreline to life, turning discarded plastic into a celebration of the ocean’s richness.
More than a piece of public art, the mural stands as a testament to the power of conservation through unity. Its message is clear and visible to all who pass by: ‘Life nests here. Welcome to the home of the Cardón Turtle.’
Through this mosaic, thousands of tiny pieces of plastic have been transformed into a beacon of hope. A testament that care, creativity, and community can come together to protect these majestic guardians of our oceans.
From Waste to Wonder: Venezuelan Innovation Recognized by the EU
The project also gained recognition beyond the island. The European Union highlighted it as an example of Venezuelan talent and innovation within the circular economy, a creative solution that turns plastic waste into art with purpose.
To amplify the message, we produced the short film Una tapa mil colores (One Cap a Thousand Colours), directed by myself alongside the Turtle Point team and the local community. The film shared the story of the Cardón turtle’s conservation on El Agua Beach reaching audiences nationally and internationally. Across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, more than 3,000 people engaged with this vibrant tale of art and action.
By transforming discarded bottle caps into a mural, we didn’t just beautify El Agua Beach, we turned the problem of pollution into a creative solution, linking the local community directly to the protection of our EDGE species, the Cardón Turtle. The next time you visit El Agua Beach, we invite you to take a moment at this mural. Each bottle cap tells a story, and together, they protect a life.
Together, we protect
You don’t have to visit El Agua Beach to make a difference. Every action counts—reduce single-use plastics, support local conservation efforts, or share the story of the Cardón with your community. Small choices, when joined together, become powerful forces for change. Let this mural be a reminder that creativity, care, and collective effort can safeguard life, protect our oceans, and inspire generations to come. Step in, join the movement, and help write the next chapter of this story.
