Save Yucatán’s Sea Turtles Before It’s Too Late

Yucatán, Mexico — The sea turtle nesting season along the Yucatán coast faces severe threats from unchecked real estate development and growing populations of feral dogs preying on nests. Activists and experts have issued an urgent alert to protect these endangered species during their critical reproductive period, which spans from May to November.

Threats to Nesting Sites

Key nesting beaches, including Progreso, Chuburná, Celestún, Sisal, El Cuyo, and Telchac Puerto, have reported alarming cases of dead adult turtles and destroyed nests. According to the Telchac Puerto Turtle Club, the situation has worsened in recent years due to three primary factors: uncontrolled coastal construction, motorized vehicle traffic on beaches, and attacks by abandoned dogs that dig up nests to feed on eggs.

The Yucatán Scientific Research Center (CICY) reports that five protected species nest in the region, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the more common green turtle (Chelonia mydas). The hawksbill turtle also faces persistent threats from illegal trade, as its shell is used to make crafts and decorative items.

Calls for Immediate Action

Environmental organizations are demanding urgent measures, including a complete ban on vehicles in nesting areas, stricter restrictions on coastal developments, sterilization programs for stray dogs, and stronger enforcement against wildlife trafficking. Meanwhile, volunteers work tirelessly to manually protect nests, having rescued more than 30 in the past week alone in Telchac Puerto.

Preliminary data indicates that 60% of nests fail to hatch successfully. As nesting season peaks, experts warn that without concrete action, some species could disappear from Yucatán’s coasts within decades.

World Sea Turtle Day Highlights Crisis

The findings coincide with World Sea Turtle Day, observed annually on June 16 in honor of biologist Archie Carr. This year, the occasion underscores the precarious state of sea turtle conservation in Yucatán, where habitat destruction and predation threaten the survival of these ancient marine species.