It’s Sea Turtle Season on Vallarta-Nayarit Beaches
It’s not just tourists that like the beaches of Banderas Bay. Sea turtles love them, too! The Bay of Banderas is the birthplace of thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles, and every summer they return to the beaches on which they were born to lay their eggs.
Normally the eggs would incubate in the sand, but recreational activities on Vallarta-Nayarit beaches make them dangerous places for baby turtles, so the local hotel industry has been involved in sea turtle conservation and protection efforts for the last 40 years.
With the support of professional marine biologists and the Municipal Departments of Environment and Ecology, many Banderas Bay area resorts run turtle conservation and protection programs that give turtle-loving travelers an opportunity to take part in this unique educational vacation experience.
Some hotels invite guests to participate in nightly beach patrols in search of turtle nests, under the guidance of a marine biologist. When a nest is found, participants help gather the eggs and transport them, still in their nests, to sea turtle nurseries for incubation.
Approximately 45 days later, the baby turtles emerge from their eggs. When the hatchlings are ready to be released, participants are invited to name the turtles, wish them luck and set them free in the sea at the edge of the resort’s beach, where some of them will return a decade later to start the process all over again.
There are also a number of environmental groups in the greater Banderas Bay area that run turtle camps that give participants the opportunity to learn more about the Olive Ridley while creating environmental awareness and encouraging others to help save them.
During the summer and fall months, travelers can volunteer or go on tours of these nurseries and nesting sites to learn about the fascinating life cycle of sea turtles, for just one night, or by participating in a two-month-long volunteer project, subject to availability. For more information about long-term volunteer opportunities, visit project-tortuga.org.
TURTLE CAMPS AND RELEASE PROGRAMS IN PUERTO VALLARTA
Boca de Tomates Sea Turtle Camp
The Boca de Tomates Saving Sea Turtles release camp and sanctuary is right behind the Puerto Vallarta airport on the beach. The staff claims an average of 60,000 baby turtles are released each year. Check their Facebook page for release times as they change every day depending on availability. If you aren’t in Puerto Vallarta, you can help by adopting a turtle nest or by making a donation to their conservation program via Paypal to antonio_banderas270@hotmail.com to help pay for materials, flashlights, gasoline for the 4-wheelers, and more.
CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Turtle Release
The Marriott Puerto Vallarta turtle release is one of the most popular ones in the area. It has been one of the resorts leading the way for the conservation of sea turtles in Banderas Bay. After the baby sea turtles hatch, guests of all ages are invited to participate in the release. The release dates and times vary depending on the month and day, so we recommend calling in advance to plan your visit. Visit marriott.com or call (322) 226-0000 or 1-800-228-9290 toll free from the US and Canada
for more information and release times.
TURTLE CAMPS AND RELEASE PROGRAMS IN RIVIERA NAYARIT
Campamento Tortuguero de Nuevo Vallarta
On Flamingos Beach in Nuevo Vallarta, Campamento Tortuguero de Nuevo Vallarta is a turtle camp dedicated to the conservation, hatching, and releasing of baby sea turtles. For more information and release times, visit their Facebook page.
Sayulita Turtle Release Camp
Take a short hike on the beach to reach the Sayulita Turtle Release Camp. Baby sea turtle releases happen on the same day that they hatch which is they can only announce release dates and times at 10 am on the day of the event. To see daily release times, visit their Facebook page.
Before the development of programs such as these, only 40% of the eggs that were laid along the shores of Banderas Bay survived, but today, thanks to programs such as these, almost 96% of the eggs deposited are incubated successfully.
Turtle-loving travelers heading to Puerto Vallarta this summer are invited to join one of the Banderas Bay region’s many sea turtle protection programs, which help thousands of baby Olive Ridley sea turtles survive long enough to reach the sea.
