blinkx

  • MEXICO: Thousands of Olive Ridley turtles hatch on the protected nesting beaches of Oaxaca, Mexico

  • 00:00:16
  • ITN Source
    • Browse

MEXICO: Thousands of Olive Ridley turtles hatch on the protected nesting beaches of Oaxaca, Mexico

Tens of thousands of baby turtles popped out of the sand and waddled toward the ocean on Sunday (November 18) at a Pacific beach in the Mexican province of Oaxaca. The beach, known as Escobilla, is an important breeding ground for the Olive Ridley turtles, a species making a comeback after populations suffered over hunting. Adult females Olive Ridleys lay their eggs on some 120 beaches in Mexico, but the biggest number go to La Escobilla and Morro Ayuta in Oaxaca. The turtles lay around 100 eggs per breed with a 45-day gestation period. During November and December, millions of baby turtles are born here and reach the ocean for first time. But residents were once turtle hunters and smuggled eggs across the country, cutting severely in the population. Over 20 years ago the Mexican government implemented ecological plans to protect the sea turtle. Now locals earn money for protecting turtle nests and have permission to bring tourists to the beach during Olive Ridley arrivals and hatches. Heradio Santillan Lavariega, the president of a local ecotourism organization, put the number of females between 250,000 and 300,000. "Between 250,000 and 300,000 turtles lay their eggs here in each arrival. Because of that there are lots baby turtles born 45 days after the eggs were laid." 'Turtle tourism' has become an important part of the local economy over the last five years. Mexico has several species of turtle, and they are typically ravaged by natural predators, erratic weather and human hunters seeking their meat and eggs. Despite protection efforts in the region, smuggling of turtle eggs continues. Authorities arrested six people last August with 57,000 eggs. Turtle products are valued for their flavor and many people believe the eggs have aphrodisiac properties. Olive Ridley turtles, found in the Americas and Asia, are listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, although their numbers seem to be rising in the Pacific because of conservation measures. According to officials, international regulations aimed at preventing the accidental capture of turtles and other sea life in deadly fishing nets are helping boost the populations.

ITN Source | November 26, 2007Watch more videos from ITN Source

Tags:. .economy. .december. .arrivals. .according. .earn











According   Aimed   Although   Aphrodisiac   Arrivals   Asia   Baby   Between   Biggest   Boost   Born   Breeding   Capture   Comeback   Conservation   December   Despite   Earn   Ecological   Economy   Ecotourism   Eggs   Endangered   Erratic   Females   Fishing   Flavor   Gestation   Hatches   Hunters   Hunting   Implemented   Important   Laid   Lay   Local   Measures   Meat   Mexican   Mexico   Morro   Nesting   Nests   Number   Oaxaca   Ocean   Olive   Organization   Pacific   Period   Permission   Populations   Predators   Preventing   Properties   Province   Put   Ravaged   Regulations   Ridleys   Sand   Sea   Seeking   Smuggled   Smuggling   Species   Suffered   Tourism   Tourists   Toward   Turtles   Typically   Valued   Waddled