Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Sea turtle nest numbers continue to increase across the state with some hatchlings already being released. The Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) has 91 nests registered at the Punta Sur Turtle Camp.
They report 15 correspond to green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and 76 to loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), both classified as endangered species according to NOM-059-SEMARNAT. Cozumel biologist Ricardo Peralta Muñoz who heads the camp explained that 17 nests were relocated as a preventive measure against high tide.
Nest patrols continue along Isla Mujeres through the Department of Environment and Ecology and the Turtle Camp. According to Jireth Garcia, manager of the Turtle Camp, the coastal areas of Icaco, Media Luna, Bachilleres and La Guadalupana beaches are monitored.
She says every night volunteers patrol the nesting beaches. “According to statistics, one in every thousand turtles reaches adulthood hence the importance of protecting nests to increase this statistic,” she said. Garcia did not provide any island nesting figures.
In Cancun, 84 hatchlings have already been released. On June 15, the city of Cancun released its first batch of baby sea turtles on Playa Marlin. Cancun Mayor Ana Paty Peralta says that this program, in addition to saving thousands of turtles each year, also raises environmental awareness among future generations.
Ecology Minister Fernando Haro Salinas mentioned that the 2025 Sea Turtle Protection Program has already registered 126 nests with more than 15,600 eggs.
In Playa del Carmen, Sam Alvarez, the head of Playa del Carmen Sustainable Environment, says they have recorded 148 nests along the municipality’s coast.
“Every year, sea turtles, these fascinating creatures of the ocean, arrive on the shores of Playa del Carmen. To date, we have recorded 148 nests in the municipality, a spectacle that amazes and reminds us of the beauty of marine life. It is everyone’s responsibility to care for and protect them!” she said.
