Cancun, Quintana Roo — The sea turtle nesting season officially begins in May on Cancun’s beaches, a critical period for conservation that runs through December.
Fernando Haro Salinas, director of ecology for the Benito Juárez municipal government, said authorities have deployed a protection program that includes 52 corrals along 12 kilometers of coastline where most nesting occurs.
The municipality has renewed its wildlife permit from the federal Environment Department (Semarnat) and signed coordination agreements with hotels and condominiums along the coastal strip.
“We have practically completed training for hotel staff, maintenance crews, and beach personnel, who are the first to respond when turtles arrive and begin nesting,” Haro Salinas said.
Last season, authorities released 1.132 million hatchlings, a figure Haro Salinas described as a “very high peak” within the species’ biological cycles.
The green turtle population has increased and has been reclassified internationally as no longer endangered, though it remains listed as a species at risk under Mexican Official Standard NOM-059.
Private sector collaboration continues with the same hotels and condominiums along the 12-kilometer nesting zone.
This season, officials will strengthen public awareness by placing signage on public beaches and access points to inform residents and tourists about the importance of respecting nests and avoiding disturbances to turtles.
The ecology department has also opened a call for volunteers to join daytime and nighttime monitoring patrols. Interested individuals can visit the department Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The main requirements are time availability and a commitment to environmental conservation.
