Cancún Protects Over 1.1 Million Sea Turtle Hatchlings

Cancún, Mexico — In an event reaffirming the commitment to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in the city, the Director General of Ecology, Fernando Haro Salinas, representing Municipal President Ana Paty Peralta, presented awards to participants of the 2025 Sea Turtle Protection and Conservation Program and, within that framework, presented the final results report for the season.

In this regard, the official highlighted that Cancún consolidated itself as the second-largest nesting area in the state, protecting 10,438 nests, safeguarding over 1.2 million eggs, and releasing more than 1.1 million sea turtle hatchlings during the 2025 cycle.

He distinguished the coordinated effort between municipal agencies, academic institutions, the hotel and tourism sector, as well as volunteers and citizens, who made possible the protection of species such as the White, Loggerhead, and Hawksbill turtles.

Furthermore, he noted that the Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) has improved its global status, being reclassified by the IUCN from “Endangered” to “Least Concern,” although in Mexico it remains protected as an endangered species according to NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.

In more detail, he explained that as part of the program, 127 theoretical-practical training courses were conducted, benefiting 2,735 people, in addition to 55 environmental education activities that impacted 933 citizens, strengthening the culture of conservation in the tourist destination.

Finally, at the close of the event, a symbolic presentation of 10 awards was made, out of a total of 120 granted, to representatives of municipal agencies, the University of the Caribbean, and the hotel and tourism sectors, in gratitude for their commitment to protecting sea turtles.