When the warm summer months arrive, nesting season for sea turtles begins. From June to December, hundreds of turtle hatchlings will make their way from the beach to the ocean. Since the hatchlings are easy prey to many elements, they need all the assistance they can get. Here’s two places where you can broaden your marine-life knowledge and help these little reptiles get where they need to be.
Los Cabos: Pueblo Bonito’s Turtle Protection and Release Program
The beaches in Cabo are nesting grounds for five different species of sea turtles, three of which nest: Pacific Ridley, Leatherback and Galapagos Green Turtle. Pueblo Bonito offers guests and owners the chance to help conservation team members as they release the hatchlings from the protected nests. When the eggs in a nest begin to hatch, the director of the ecological program will notify the resort and that night, just before sunset, the release will take place. Last year, 33 sea turtle releases took place with more than 420 hotel guests from Sunset Beach, Pacifica and Montecristo helping. Owners in Quivira Los Cabos and guests of Pueblo Bonito resorts are invited to take part in the hands-on experience. For other visitors, contact the concierge desk at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Golf & Spa Resort for more details.
For more information, visit: pueblobonito.com
Puerto Vallarta: Velas Vallarta’s Sea Turtle Experience
Guests at Velas Vallarta have the opportunity to enjoy a brand new sea turtle experience debuting at the resort. Not only will guests get the chance to learn about the world of marine conservation and sea turtle biology, they will also be able to participate in conservation training, hatchling release, nesting patrol and cleaning of hatching nests. During a release, at sunset, guests will be given a sea turtle hatchling and will then accompany the biologist to the beach. When a female sea turtle enters her nesting trance, guests will be able to sit down next to it and afterwards, collect its eggs to take back to the hatchery where they can choose to partake in cleaning the hatchery, removing live and dead hatchlings and unhatched eggs.
For more information, visit: velasvallarta.com