Cancún, Quintana Roo — Authorities in Cancún are investigating a viral video that appears to show a woman handling sea turtle hatchlings at a local hotel, officials said.
The Benito Juárez Ecology Department has contacted Profepa, Mexico’s federal environmental protection agency, to file a formal complaint and identify those responsible, the municipal government said in a statement.
Officials have also met with managers of the Hotel Emporio to reinforce the protocols of the Sea Turtle Protection and Conservation Program during the current nesting season.
Handling sea turtles is a federal crime
Under Article 420 of the Federal Criminal Code, harming, capturing, removing, or trafficking protected marine species carries penalties of one to nine years in prison and fines equivalent to 300 to 3,000 days of minimum wage.
Mexican federal law strictly protects sea turtles because of their conservation status. Actions that endanger the animals or their nests are classified as federal crimes nationwide.
Authorities urged anyone who witnesses such activity to report it immediately by calling the 911 emergency line.
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