Introduction to Sea Turtle Conservation Projects

Volunteers joining our sea turtle conservation project will help to patrol Majahuas beach in order to protect the nests of three of the world’s eight species of sea turtle. Majahuas Biological Station is located on the pacific coast of Mexico, in the state of Jalisco, about 90km south of Puerto Vallarta. As well as students and graduates in biological sciences, we welcome volunteers from all other backgrounds and professions. Anyone who is looking for a challenge will enjoy this rewarding project.

Threats to sea turtle populations

"Throughout Asia and the Americas, Pacific leatherback populations are disappearing. This is a flagship crisis in marine biodiversity, and the repercussions will reverberate throughout marine ecosystems and the Biosphere as a whole."
- Rod Mast
Vice President, Conservation International

Sea turtles evolved some 130 million years ago and today face threats so huge that, without worldwide conservation efforts, their survival into the next century would be almost impossible. Poachers kill turtles for their meat and eggs, which are prized as a culinary delicacy to trusted clients, while the skin is used for exotic boots, belts, and purses. As well as the threats mentioned above, sea turtles are also faced with natural predators throughout their long life histories. Animals such as raccoons, coatis and foxes seek out and dig up nests from the beach. Those lucky enough to hatch are then faced with the threat of a hungry bird or crab on their journey to the sea; and once in the sea, sharks and other fish are just waiting for an easy feed. Research suggests that on average, 1 out of every 1000 to 10,000 hatchlings (0.01 to 0.1%) reach adulthood to nest and reproduce. Back to top

How you can help save sea turtles with Experience MexECO

Seven of the world's eight species of sea turtles nest on Mexico's beaches and, by supporting turtle conservation projects, we aim to increase the survival chances of some of these species. Volunteers pay to cover their costs whilst staying at a camp and to contribute towards the expenses of running the project. From each volunteer's fee a percentage is paid directly to the fisherman's cooperative exactly for this.

The work involves the patrolling of a designated area and collecting all the nests we encounter. The nests are then relocated in a protected area close to the camp. Patrolling of the beaches makes it far more difficult for poachers to come into contact with turtles and the relocation of nests decreases the chances of predation from other animals. Volunteers and staff at the camps all take part in the process, as well as monitoring the hatchling rates and releasing the hatchlings into the sea. Back to top

A typical 24-hours at camp

Mornings are leisurely and volunteers have the chance to relax, socialise, and help around the camp. The majority of the work at turtle camp starts after dark. Depending on the phase of the moon, the turtles may emerge from the sea at any time from sunset to sunrise. In stormy conditions they may even emerge throughout the day. The most common species that nests in the area in which we work is the Olive Ridley, Lepidochelys olivacea. Less common species include the Leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea, and the Black turtle, Chelonia agassizi. The work is divided between collection of nests and monitoring of hatchlings, with volunteers alternating activity from night to night. Because of the size of the patrol area, collection takes place with quad bikes with a member of staff always present. The nests are located by following the tracks made by the turtle on her way to or from the nesting site, or from sighting the turtle herself. Once the nest has been located and the turtle is laying eggs or has left the nest, the eggs are collected and transferred to a plastic bag, when a data sheet must be recorded. All nests at the end of each patrol of the beach are then taken back to the corral.

The corral is an area of beach set aside for the relocation of nests; it is enclosed by a high fence to reduce the risk of predation from other animals. Volunteers on corral duty will bury the nests in rows in the order in which they were collected. Depending on the season, there may be anything from 1 to 70 nests collected per night, each nest usually containing between 60 and 100 eggs. Volunteers on corral duty are also responsible for collecting hatchlings. The eggs of the Olive Ridley turtle take an average of 47 days to incubate. The whole nest will then begin to hatch at the same time and the hatchlings climb to the surface of the sand. The volunteers collect the hatchlings and record how many there are and from which nest they hatched. It is also very important for the volunteers to patrol the borders of the corral throughout their shift to minimise the risk of coatis and raccoons entering and digging up the nests. The volunteers then release the hatchlings before sunrise. This hard work is immensely satisfying as you watch the hatchlings struggle into the sea the hard work feels totally worthwhile. If you would like to apply to take part in our sea turtle conservation project or you would like more information from one of our members of staff, please go to the apply now page.

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