We are happy to announce the first sea turtles of the summer nesting season at Royal Resorts, this time at The Royal Haciendas in the Riviera Maya and at The Royal Sands in Cancun.
In late May, a hawksbill turtle and loggerhead turtle emerged from the waves and laid their eggs on the beach in the vicinity of The Royal Haciendas, our Riviera Maya resort five minutes to the north of Playa del Carmen. The biologists leading sea turtle patrols along the shoreline decided to leave their nests in situ due to their location. A second loggerhead turtle came ashore in the first week of June and laid 152 eggs, which were moved to safety in the corral at a resort further down the beach.
Nesting sea turtles are uncommon at The Royal Haciendas but we hope that this season we will see more of them coming ashore.
On June 13 in Cancun, a green sea turtle dug its nest on the beach in front of The Royal Sands. Patrolling biologists and volunteers moved the eggs.
This year SEMARNAT, the Mexican Environmental Agency is coordinating the statewide sea turtle conservation campaign and the nesting season rules have changed significantly to protect sea turtles while also keeping human contact with our oceangoing summer visitors and their young to a minimum.
Please read the following sea turtle nesting rules and help us protect these beautiful, ancient creatures that are sadly in danger of extinction.
Follow the Sea Turtles Nesting Season Rules
• If you spot a sea turtle on the beach at night alert the security staff.
• Be very quiet and keep still.
• Watch from a distance of ten meters (33 feet).
• Do not attempt to touch the sea turtle or crowd her.
• Do not shine a torch or use the light on your mobile phone.
• Please, no flash photography.
• No smoking.
• Follow the instructions given by security staff at all times.
• Noise, lights and the movement of people may disturb a nesting sea turtle and startle her causing her to leave the beach without laying eggs. She may lay her eggs in the sea; just imagine over 100 precious turtle eggs lost because of noise, torchlight or people getting too close.
• Resort security staff will release the baby sea turtles at night to keep them safe from the seagulls and frigate birds that are their natural predators. Changes in Federal Law here in Mexico mean that it is no longer possible for guests to handle the turtles and help set them free.
• If you spot a sea turtle when snorkeling or diving watch from a distance, do not swim towards it and do not attempt to touch it.
• Sun products contain chemicals that harm marine life, pollute the water and damage corals. As an alternative, wear a t-shirt when snorkeling as protection from the sun instead of applying sun block.
• Help us to keep our beaches and sea clean. Sea turtles ingest plastic bags and other trash with fatal consequences, get tangled in fishing lines and nets and drown and have been found with injuries caused by discarded straws and plastic beer packaging.
The sea turtle is protected by Mexican law and it is illegal to disturb or touch them, persecute or hunt them and consume their meat or eggs.
Supporting Conservation
If you are going to be vacationing at Royal Resorts during the summer, visit the Paloma Gift Shop at The Royal Sands, The Royal Caribbean, The Royal Cancun and The Royal Haciendas to check out a sea turtle-inspired line of souvenirs. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to the Royal Resorts Foundation to support conservation and community causes.
More Sea Turtle News during the Summer
Stay posted for more sea turtle news from Royal Resorts, Grand Residences and other parts of the Mexican Caribbean during the 2016 season on this blog.
