Unveiling Turtle Voices

A Short Documentary by Basil Minder
in Cooperation with Dr. Gabriel J. Cohen

Our journey faces challenges like fires, poaching, and climate change. Extreme heat and remote locations push us and our gear to the limits. We uncover legends and insights from local communities, deepening our scientific research on turtles. The documentary highlights the dedicated local team and volunteers protecting endangered turtles amidst communication struggles, cultural differences, and resource needs, especially during mating and nesting seasons. Through interviews and reflections, we explore the impact on researchers and locals, revealing a narrative of human resilience and understanding. We aim for film festivals to share these vital discoveries and stories globally. Your support will help elevate the hidden realities of the Amazon.

A Story with Depth

Logo of CEQUA with a multicolored turtle illustration and text "Centro de Estudos dos Quelônios da Amazônia."
University of Zurich logo with seal and text "Universität Zürich UZH."
Two hands holding a turtle egg on a sandy beach.

We follow an award-winning researcher alongside the river turtles in the Amazon rainforest and come across fires, poaching and climate change.

Riverbank with turtles on sandy shore, a boat on the water, and forested hills in the background.

Where Science leads you

We followed Dr. Gabriel Jorgewich Cohen, an award-winning, Brazilian, young evolutionary biologist from the University of Zürich, on his latest expedition to study the Amazon River turtles, the largest freshwater turtles in the world. After proving turtle communication in published articles in 2022, he gained worldwide media attention. Now, this groundbreaking research continues in some of the most remote and challenging areas of the Amazon, far from cities and modern civilization. Gabriel is dedicated to uncovering the hidden communication of turtles (Podocnemis expansa) in their early stage of life, using hydrophones and microphones in their nests. This expedition aims to further work on the understanding of the vocalizations and social behaviors of these fascinating creatures.

Map of Brazil highlighting the Amazon River basin and a location marked with a red pin.

Amazonian Basin | Trombetas River
ICMBio Trombetas - Base avançada Tabuleiro

Sunlight filtering through trees in a misty forest
A turtle on sandy ground with sand particles flying in the air, podocnemis expansa
Person in a black shirt and cap crouches on a sandy beach, handling equipment in a plastic container, with a tripod nearby and water in the background.
Overhead view of two people in a small wooden boat on dark water, with various equipment and oars on board.
Man carrying a hose on his shoulder by a riverside, wearing a cap and a white shirt with a fish logo, with another person in the background.
A group of turtles, podocnemis expansa on a sandy riverbank next to a body of water with trees in the background on the rio trombetas

More Scientific Background

In August of 2022 Gabriel presented his research at the 20th Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles. His presentation won the Student Award for Best Paper! See that talk here, and HEAR what the hubbub is about!

New recordings featuring the voices of 53 species of turtle, caecilian and tuatara previously thought to be silent have illuminated the evolutionary origins of vocal communication. Gabriel Jorgevich-Cohen a PhD student at the University of Zurich has travelled the world collecting recordings and summarised his findings in Nature Communications this week. He spoke to BBC science correspondent Georgina Rannard who explains his findings, what they mean, and shows us some of her favourite turtle sounds.

  • In order to produce a captivating and high-quality documentary, we need your support for various critical upcoming aspects of the project. Here’s how your contribution will help:

    Post-Production: We need funds to cover the extensive post-production work, including editing, sound design, music composing and color grading.

  • A portion of the funds will go towards music composing, sfx and music licenses to enhance the storytelling aspect of the film.

    Publication and Festival Applications: We aim to submit our film to various film festivals with the goal of giving the story international attention. Your support will help cover the costs of these applications and entry fees, increasing our chances of reaching a wider audience and gaining recognition.

  • Help us make this movie! We thank you for your support, no matter how big or small. Your contribution brings us one step closer to bringing this extraordinary story to life!

2.9% Cover the Fee

By donating, you support JungleLens' natural history documentaries and video projects. While not a registered nonprofit, donations are not tax-deductible, but every contribution—big or small—helps bring these stories to life. Refund Policy: Donations are non-refundable, as they are voluntary contributions toward our mission.

Meet the Team

  • Silhouette of a man operating a tripod during sunset, wearing sunglasses, a cap, and a shirt with text.

    Dr. Gabriel Jorgewich Cohen

    Researcher
    Evolutionary Biologist University of Zürich
    https://jorgewichcohen.com/

  • Person in a boat with camera tripod and nature background

    Rafael Carlos Benetti Paredero, MSc.

    Field Assistant
    Co-Founder Caiman Ambientals

  • A man wearing outdoor clothing and a backward cap sits on a wooden platform with a camera mounted on a stabilizer beside him. The background is a natural, wooded area. Basil Minder

    Basil Minder, MSc.

    Producer & Director of Photography
    Founder JungleLens Productions