Holding a newly-hatched baby sea turtle in your hands seems like a privilege too great to be so openly available, but helping baby sea turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean has become more than just an unbelievable wonder; it has become the responsibility of the race whose actions has put these brave and majestic creatures on the endangered species list: the human race.
Every single species of sea turtle is considered threatened or endangered, which means it’s more important than ever for the fledgling populations still surviving to grow. In Riviera Nayarit, a stretch of pristine beaches along Mexico‘s Pacific coast, I visited Platanitos Turtle Camp at Playa Las Tortugas, a place where humans are making a difference — some as volunteer “campers” and some in the lap of luxury.
Gordon Godfrey (below right), the director of development and full-time resident of Playa Las Tortugas, gave me a tour of the property, which is located in the midst of an idyllic palm tree reserve.
Godfrey, a retired TV executive with white hair and a sharp sense of humor, first came to the Turtle Camp to live in one of the gorgeous villas of Playa Las Tortugas, a separately-run eco-luxury resort. He couldn’t resist becoming involved with the adjacent Turtle Camp, and in his time there has seen unbelievable growth.
“When I started, we had about 300 nests,” says Godfrey. “The year before last, we had 2,700, and this year, we expect over 3,000.” The turtle nests he refers to are Olive Ridley nests. Olive Ridleys are an endangered species of turtle whose population has been threatened both by poachers and reckless fishing practices like shrimp trawling. In Mexico, the poachers are still so active that volunteers at Turtle Camp are required to patrol the beaches.
Here at Turtle Camp, nesting turtles — who are most vulnerable to both poachers and natural predators — are looked after as they lay their eggs (below).
The nests, each containing around 100 eggs, must be protected from scavengers like birds and raccoons, so volunteers collect them and put them in the on-site incubator (basically a shed) in styrofoam coolers. Yes, styrofoam coolers. If they run out of room for turtle nests in the incubation room, they bury them in a fenced-in, closely guarded plot of beach nearby. It’s pretty low-tech. Volunteers closely monitor the turtle eggs, and when they hatch, they are taken carefully to the sea that evening at sunset, a time when they’ll be safe from the dangers of predatory birds and the hot sun. The simple system was developed by Miguel Angel Flores Peregrina, head veterinarian of the State of Nayarit, who runs all six Nayarit turtle camps.
“We count the turtles that live and the turtles that die,” says Godfrey. “We could actually really use a donation of PDAs.” Volunteers who keep count of the turtles every day currently record their findings on paper and then input them into an archaic computer program. “A guy who stayed here offered to build an application for us. If we had about 20 PDAs, we could link up with the other camps down the coast.”
Volunteers can make their way to Platanitos Turtle Camp and stay, surf, eat and sleep for just $10 per day. Some young folks come and participate for college credit, but anyone 18 or older can come, with a minimum commitment of 10 days. It’s not all fun and games, though. It’s hard work.
I spoke with a few of the campers. They seemed happy, and an excited young French woman assured me, “It’s all worth it for the babies.” A Londoner in good spirits agreed with her, then emphasized, “But it’s hot.”
Click here if you’re interested in volunteering, which means patrolling the camp, cooking, cleaning and helping track and release the turtles. They still have openings in September and are averaging 30 nests per night this season! Biologist Juan Hermilo Esparza Venegas will be your boss.
But wait, didn’t I say that some visitors stay in the lap of luxury? Yes, yes I did.
You and your friends (or children) can rent a luxe villa at Playa Las Tortugas for prices from just $150 per night. The villas have multiple bedrooms; so for the beautiful vacation you’re getting, plus the opportunity to help with the turtles, it’s an incredible deal. The intimate community of just thirteen villas is equipped with modern amenities; all include air conditioning and maid service. You can also request meal service, and a cook will come to your villa and prepare a menu of your choosing at fabulously low prices. You’ll be right on the beach, and if your villa doesn’t include a private swimming pool, there is a communal pool on-site.
Playa Las Tortugas and Platanitos Turtle Camp is one of those places where people from different backgrounds join forces to do good. Whether you’re there to bunk with other campers and make a difference (while getting a tan) or are coming to relax and enjoy the spoils of the area (like birding, surfing, fishing, kayaking, horseback riding and massage), this is your chance to hold a soft, squirmy baby sea turtle in your hands and become a true steward of nature. Your vacation will be more than well-spent; it will help the endangered population of turtles survive.
Make your vacation count this year. Click here for information on other sea turtle camps, and if you’re interested in adopting a Platanitos Turtle Camp nest for 2010 ($50), click here. And, if all that didn’t convince you, watch a turtle release in action here.
Photos by Gordon Godfrey and Annie Scott.