Turtle season 2017
By: Regina Sámano
As every year, from May to September, the Sea Turtle season is lived in the Mexican Caribbean, Hoteles Solaris de México is prepared to receive this wonderful marine species and protect its young.
Around the world there are 8 species of sea turtles, which only 4 of them come to nest on our beautiful beaches in Cancun. These are LOGGERHEAD, TABASCO, HAWKSBILL and LEATHERBACK. On the beach of our hotel the leatherback turtle has never been seen.
During the first half of May, turtle mating begins, which lasts approximately 24 hours. It is a great ritual that the male tortoise undertakes to impress the female, copulating on the surface.
At the end of May, we will have the spawning consisting of the following steps:
1. They emerge from the sea in a straight line. 2. Select the nesting site. 3. Remove the sand to make a bed (place where the nest will be). 4. Excavate an incubation jar. 5. They lay about 80 to 200 eggs per turtle (depending on the species). 6. Cover the incubation jar together with the eggs to protect them. 7. Return to the sea in a straight line.
Turtles only spawn at night and this process lasts about 3 hours since they emerge from the sea. When they make contact with the air, they secrete a liquid from the eyes, which usually helps protect them from the sand at the time of digging the nest, they DO NOT cry. The incubation lasts approximately 45 to 70 days depending on the turtle specie and the climate that surrounds the nests. The turtles come to spawn from 1 to 5 times per season.
The process we have for the "Sea Turtle Protection and Conservation Program on the beaches of Cancun" is that as soon as the turtle touches the beach of our hotel it is the responsibility of the qualified personnel to help relocate all the eggs in a "protection yard" to be watched and cared for until the moment of his birth.
They have to wait for the turtle to begin to spawn to take each egg and at the end, to dig inside the "protection yard" a pit in the form of a pitcher (like the tortoise) of about 60 cm. of high, leaving at the end smooth to be able to accommodate the eggs. This jar is covered with sand and a poster is made with data on the number of eggs, turtle species, measures, date of spawning and probable date of birth.
During incubation of the turtles, prevention staff, those who have taken courses given by biologists working for the state conservation campaign, procedures to be followed for sea turtle conservation and nesting habits, are engaged in the surveillance, care and protection of the species in the beach area of our hotels. Days before birth a mesh is placed around the nest to protect the exit of the turtles and that these are not devoured by predators and arrive well to release.
At the time of birth, depending on the time of day, these are sheltered to be protected until the time of their release. It is said that the first 10 years of each tortoise is called "Lost Years" because does not really know exactly where they are going and very few of them survive because of the long journey they make.
Year after year, the liberation that takes place in the coast of Quintana Roo becomes an entire celebration to the effort of civil associations protecting this reptile and the local government of turn.
SEA TURTLE SEASON RULES
Let prevention staff know if you see a turtle at night.
Observe from a distance of 10 meters
Do not touch the turtle
Do not use flash.
No smoking
Do not enter the egg guard pens.
Do not handle pups without prior authorization of qualified personnel.
Keep beaches and sea clean by using trash cans. Remember that plastic bags, straws, plastic containers and all kinds of trash floating in the sea are lethal to turtles.
Turtles are protected by Mexican law.
If you have the opportunity to live and participate in the experience of releasing turtles, it is important that you respect the instructions of the staff and enjoy watching them eagerly move towards the immense sea to embark on their new path.
OUR CANCUN HOTELS ALREADY CONTAIN 16 NESTS WITH 1905 EGGS WHICH ARE EXPECT TO HACTH IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS
Come and enjoy this beautiful experience at Solaris!
Book now HERE
