Right on cue and only days after the season begun Loreto
National Park have confirmed the presence of 3 turtle nests on the beaches of
Loreto.
The nests have been marked and are under the surveillance
of a team specifically tasked with the care and protection of sea turtles. They will be closely
monitored, especially around the expected hatching time. Every effort will be
made to keep them safe from predators and to ensure the tiny turtles safely
reach the sea to begin their life long migrations.
And of course, Baja California Sur is not the only place
where turtles are turning up.
Yesterday PROFEPA successfully rescued and relocated a
clutch of 117 Olive Ridley sea turtle eggs on a small beach in Manzanillo Bay
in the state of Colima.
The eggs were deposited at
the turtle camp at the University of Colima, in the municipality of Manzanillo
to protect them from predators. Once hatched they will be released back to the
sea.
And talking of Olive Ridley
Turtles… over 30 000 Olive Ridley turtles have just arrived last week at the
Sanctuary on Escobilla Beach in Oaxaca. Yes, 30 000 turtles – that’s right. It’s
not a typo.
This mass landing, known as the “arribada”
is a phenomenon of great biological importance for the reproduction and
survival of Olive Ridley turtle. And it is a spectacular event to witness.
This 15km strip of protected
beach is the single most important location in the world for this species. Each
year, there are about 1million nests, from which around 15 million tiny turtles
are born. Yes, 15 million…
CONANP - Mexico’s National
Commission of Natural Protected Areas do a fantastic job of co-ordinating the
monitoring, surveillance and protection of the turtle nests. Visit their site
to read more about it.
And with all this talk of turtles Cabo’s Head of Ecology
and Environment, Luis Emilio de Loza, has decided that it is high time for Cabo
to have a Sea Turtle Museum.
Turtles are a just one of the many natural maritime
attractions that attract over 2 million visitors a year to Cabo. And given the
success of the Whale Museum in La Paz, a public spot for the story of Sea
Turtles would be ideal for the area.
De Loza believes the perfect location for such a project
would be as a part of Cabo’s Natural History Museum – which is currently under
renovations, so the timing is perfect.
He is hopeful that a Sea Turtle
Museum will become a reality later this year..