Cozumel, Q.R. — Staff of the Direction of Conservation and Environmental Education (CEA), of the Foundation of Parks and Museums of Cozumel (FPMC), have marked more than 240 sea turtle nests in the Campamento Tortuguero Punta Sur.
The camp, which is located in the Parque Ecológico Estatal Laguna Colombia, has marked nests belonging to white and loggerhead sea turtles.
Ricardo Peralta Muñoz, project coordinator of Conservación y Educación Ambiental (CEA), explained that each season, the Fundación de Parques y Museos de Cozumel (FPMC) maintains a program to protect nesting females and hatchlings.
He says that the beach with the greatest number of nests this year is Playa Celarain since it has a wide extension and a history of being a preferred nesting area. Peralta Muñoz noted that the storms in June caused the natural loss of some beaches in the eastern area of Punta Sur, an area restricted to tourist activities due to its ecological importance, which has caused white turtles to nest in higher numbers.
He clarified that in the current nesting season, the monitoring and marking of nests is carried out only by CEA personnel to reduce the risk of Coronavirus transmission. He says that the FPMC is committed to caring for the turtles, since they are in danger of extinction and are protected by ecological legislation.