Cancun, Q.R. — Sea turtle season has officially kicked off for Cancun with the arrival of the city’s first leatherback.
The female turtle was captured on video on a beach near the Oasis Hotel where she reportedly laid more than 100 eggs. Gisela Maldonado Saldaña, vice president of Grupo Tortuguero del Caribe AC confirmed the arrival of the turtle.
She said “the arrival of the turtle fills us with a lot of hope” since they are not common to the area but officials wait for their arrival, which she noted, generally occurs around this time, from the end of March to May. She said that it is the largest species and is not common in that part of the state, although they have been seen in the northern region.
She explained that they were surprised by the size of the nest, noting that she was a very large female, 2.15 meters long and just over a meter wide leaving behind more than 100 eggs. Normally, they lay between 70 and 80 eggs, she said.
Maldonado Saldaña said that there have also been reports of sea turtle arrivals on the beaches of Moon Palace, near Puerto Morelos and in Maya Cobá and Playacar.
The arrival of the leatherback was reported at 6:45 p.m. Friday by an on-duty security guard who followed protocol, reporting the sighting of the turtle and preventing people from disturbing it. “The turtle made its nest, spawned and returned to the sea.”