Sea Turtle Nesting Season Begins in Akumal With 53 Nests Recorded in May

Akumal, Quintana Roo — The 2026 sea turtle nesting season in Akumal has kicked off with promising numbers, as monitoring teams recorded 53 protected nests along the Riviera Maya coastline during May.

Of those, 46 belong to the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and seven to the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), according to the Akumal Ecological Center (CEA). The figures signal a healthy start to the reproductive cycle for these protected species.

Héctor Lizárraga Cubedo, director of the CEA, said coordinated efforts among biologists, specialized staff, and volunteer brigades enabled early detection of nests and helped shield nesting areas from human threats and natural predators.

Loggerhead Nests Concentrated in Key Beaches

Geographic mapping of nesting sites showed the highest loggerhead activity in two locations:

• Playa Tortuga: 17 nests
• Bahía Akumal: 17 nests
• Akumal Sur: 8 nests
• Bahía Media Luna: 4 nests

Green turtle nests were fewer but significant, with four in Bahía Akumal, two in Playa Tortuga, and one in Akumal Sur. No green turtle nests were recorded at Bahía Media Luna.

Monitoring to Intensify Through Summer

Lizárraga Cubedo noted that May marks the beginning of a nesting season that typically extends through September. Experts expect the arrival of nesting females to increase substantially as summer progresses and sand temperatures rise.

“The records obtained during the first weeks are considered an important indicator for evaluating the behavior of reproductive populations and planning protection actions on the beaches,” he said.

Nighttime surveillance is critical in these marine conservation sanctuaries, as sea turtles are strictly protected under Mexican law and listed as endangered under official standard NOM-059-SEMARNAT.

Strict Rules for Beachgoers

To maximize hatching success this season, civil organizations and environmental authorities have reiterated strict guidelines for residents and tourists:

• Respect all marked nesting zone perimeters.
• Avoid using flashlights, artificial lights, or camera flashes on the beach at night.
• Maintain a safe distance and do not block turtles as they emerge from the sea to nest.
• Turn off lights from nearby businesses or private properties that face the coastline.