The declarations have been vague, the details sparse. But announcements by Venezuelan tourism officials that the government is targeting four biodiverse, semi-deserted Caribbean islands for intense development have unleashed a storm of protest from environmentalists, not least because one of the islands lies within a national park. The islands, La Orchila, La Tortuga, La Blanquilla and La Borracha, range from five to 200 kilometers (three to 125 miles) from the Venezuelan mainland, and are rich in flora and fauna. La Tortuga, the largest of the islands with an area of 156 square kilometers (60 sq miles), is a refuge for nearly 80 species of endemic and migratory birds, a nesting ground for four species of endangered and critically endangered sea turtles, and home to... [Log in to read more]