MEXICO: Turtles arrive to nest at Mexican beach

Mexico's coastline offers a rare breeding ground for some of the most exotic turtles in the world, including the Olive Ridley turtles which could recently be seen nesting in the white sands of the Mazunte beaches. Thousands of the turtles nest along Escobilla Beach, sometimes traveling hundreds of kilometres from the Central American seas. The nesting process usually lasts about five days, during which more and more turtles appear, dig holes and leave dozens of eggs each. The Olive ridley turtles, also known as Lepidochelys olivacea, are endangered along the Pacific coast of Mexico but Turtle Center Director Manelik Olivera said there is reason to hope the species' outlook is improving. "The last arrival is very atypical," Manelik said. "It lasted two weeks-- something that hasn't happened here in the Oaxaca coast for four years. That means that the population is responding to the 1990 ban (on hunting)." Olive ridley turtles mate during the spring and early summer. The female stores sperm throughout the season and builds the nests about 50 meters away from the sea. After laying her eggs, the turtle then returns to the water. Incubation takes up to 7 weeks but only about 1 percent of the eggs hatch successfully. The turtles' are threatened by hunting for their skin and meat and stealing of their eggs. Concerned over the dwindling population of turtles, scientists founded the Mexican Turtle Center in 1994 and began studying ways to improve living and breeding conditions for these gentle reptiles. The Mexican government has implemented protective measures such as establishing off season hunting periods as well as determining national conservation zones aimed at creating safer living conditions for the animals.

ITN Source | November 18, 2006

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