Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Riviera Maya environmental agencies are considering expanding protected sea turtle areas after noticing a rise in egg poaching. Lucelly Ramos Montejo, the Solidaridad Director of Environmental Management, said additional patrols are being set up to protect key areas where poaching has been detected.
She said they have found people in Playa del Carmen consuming the sea turtle eggs, which has lead them to consider expanding protected areas.
“We are working to expand the polygon of the turtle program, seeking to protect unauthorized areas where we have detected people consuming sea turtle eggs,” she said.
Sea turtle nests around the state have increased in 2023 over last year. Along Riviera Maya, over 1,000 nests have been counted along the municipality’s 24 kilometers of coast.
In June, Tulum reported the first leatherback nest for the first time in three decades. In mid-July, that protected nest produced the first baby leatherback sea turtles in 30 years.
