We are beginning to see the telltale tracks of tiny flippers in the sand as the first turtles of the season hatch and scuttle across the beach towards the sea. It is a wonder that we never tire of and a source of satisfaction, especially for our eco guardians, the security teams that patrol the beaches during the season on the lookout for female turtles coming ashore to nest and later watch over their offspring as they embark on their life journey. On July 11, the first eggs hatched and since then 7,671 hatchlings – all green turtles – have been released

To date, there are more than 292 nests in the corral at The Royal Sands with a tally of 33,523 eggs, this is up on the total for August 2022, and reflects the cyclical nature of turtle nesting, a slower year is always followed by a better year.

Although The Royal Islander and Royal Uno All Inclusive Resort & Spa no longer form part of Royal Resorts, security guards at both resorts continue watching over the turtles and the nests in the corrals.

In Cancun in mid-July, 3,316 turtle nests had already been registered with 383,000 eggs.

Positive nest numbers are also being reported in other parts of the Mexican Caribbean. In the Riviera Maya, the Akumal Environmental Center (CEA) reports 800 turtle nests on the four nesting beaches in the Akumal area patrolled by its volunteers. This includes the first hawksbill turtle nest in four years. The hawksbill turtle is the smallest of the turtles found in the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan.

Flora, Fauna y Cultura de Mexico A.C., the nonprofit that handles the annual turtle conservation program in Xcacel-Xcacelito turtle sanctuary and 12 other beaches in the Riviera Maya, Tulum and Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, reported the first leatherback turtle nest and hatchlings at Xcacel. The leatherback turtle is the world’s largest species and the rarest of the four species that nest in the Mexican Caribbean.

The Cozumel Municipal Ecology department announced in July that San Martin nesting beach on the east coast of the island already had 1,578 nests, a number that will now have increased further.

Remember the turtle rules

If you are staying with us this summer, here are the turtle rules to follow

• Alert the security staff when you see a turtle on the beach at night
• Be very quiet and keep still, noise, lights and the movement of people disturb nesting sea turtles and cause them to leave the beach without laying eggs
• Watch from a distance of 10 meters (33 feet)
• Do not attempt to touch the turtle or crowd her
• Do not shine a torch or use the light on your mobile phone
• No flash photography
• No smoking
• Obey security staff when they give instructions
• If you are staying in a beachfront villa, turn the lights off when you go to bed. Artificial light can disorientate turtles and lead them inland instead of back towards the waves.
• Help us to keep our beaches and sea clean. Plastic straws, bags, packaging, fishing lines and nets and other garbage floating in the water are lethal to turtles and other marine life
• When snorkeling or diving, watch turtles from a distance, do not swim towards them and do not attempt to touch them
• Wear a t-shirt when snorkeling as protection from the sun instead of applying sun block. Sun products pollute the water and are harmful to marine life
• Turtles are protected by Mexican law, and it is illegal to disturb them, persecute or hunt them and consume their meat or eggs.

Stay posted for more 2023 turtle season news.