Our local destination expert for Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Amstar Sales Representative Noé Romero, shares with us his enviable experience releasing sea turtles in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.
I want share my wonderful experience releasing sea turtles in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is a magnificent place to vacation. There are gorgeous beaches and so much to see and do here, but one of the most fascinating and moving experiences you’ll find is participating in the release of baby sea turtles.
The majority of the hotels here operate turtle conservation programs to help protect and conserve the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). They set up protected areas where the sea turtles nest and lay their eggs to later be released as hatchlings back to the sea. I will never forget such an up-close and intimate encounter with nature.
As the sea turtles were being released, a biologist was present to educate us about these ocean creatures. He told us that there are eight species of sea turtles and that seven of them actually reach the coasts of Mexico. The Pacific Ridley sea turtles are the ones that commonly come to the Pacific Coast of Mexico for nesting.
The biologist also explained to us that the baby sea turtles hatch about 40 to 50 days after the mama turtle lays her eggs. The sea turtles are generally released in the afternoon. That’s because there are less predators such as birds that can kill and eat them. Unfortunately, the statistics tell us that only 5% of the released turtles live to be adults.
What most surprised me about this amazing experience is that the female sea turtles will return to this very beach to nest in the future.
What an amazing sentimental and instinctual connection!
It was really fun to see how the hatchlings crawled through the sand so slowly and with so much difficulty on their way to the Pacific Ocean. Then, once they reached their very first wave, they swam with such agility, quickly disappearing into the immense sea.
I never expected to experience something so amazing as this, and it really made me conscious about the care we must take to preserve this wonderful species that is in danger of becoming extinct.
The nesting season for sea turtles in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is almost all year long. However, the best time to participate in a turtle release is generally from September through April. Contact your Amstar representative to assist you in finding the best time and place to experience such a wonderful act of nature!
