Puerto Escondido is home to four different types of sea turtle including the Olive Ridley sea turtles. These turtles all lay eggs together at the same beach – around 1,000 turtles at one time! Unfortunately due to climate change and urbanism, the baby turtles can’t survive by themselves.
The beach is much hotter than it used to be. This makes something funny happen. It means that more girl baby turtles are born than boys. Also some of the eggs get too hot and don’t hatch. So volunteers collect all the eggs and look after them in special shaded hatcheries.
When the baby turtles are born they are really tiny. It’s a long way for them to get to the ocean. Because there are more humans around there are dogs and cats that might eat them. Also, baby turtles find the ocean by looking for the reflection of the moon on the water. Now that there are big hotels along the beach, they get confused by the lights and head the wrong way!
So baby turtles need our help! We carried them close to the sea and then watched them swim off.
That looks really cool and I and I’m jealous. from Fionn
Great post Leo, what a cool experience to release baby turtles.