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 News from Around Banderas Bay | January 2006 
CasaMagna Marriott 2005 Turtle Protection Update
 PVNN
| | The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort invites you to come and witness a wonder of nature, while participating in the conservation of endangered marine turtles every year from July through November. | 
| | During the 2005 turtle season, the Marriott's biologist and recreation personnel, with the participation of guests and local school children, contributed to the survival and release of 17,784 newborn tortoises. | 
| | Hatchlings are released at night in order to increase their chance of survival. |
Puerto Vallarta - The Marine Turtle Protection Program at the CasaMagna Marriott Resort Puerto Vallarta has been an educational and entertaining tradition for the last fifteen years.
This commendable and entertaining program not only appeals to both young and old visitors and residents of Puerto Vallarta, but also to many different ecological and environmental associations from around the world.
Every year from June to December, working in coordination with, and under the advisement of biologist Oscar Aranda, the Municipal secretary of the Department of Ecology and Environment, the resort actively participates in the conservation of the Olive Ridley turtles that come to lay their eggs on the resort's beach in Marina Vallarta.
By complying with the procedures established by the authorities and creating a collective consciousness of the importance of the conservation of this species, the CasaMagna Marriott Resort Puerto Vallarta is making a difference.
Before the development of programs such as this, only 40% of the eggs that were laid along the shores of Banderas Bay survived, but today, through programs such as this, almost 80% of the eggs deposited are incubated successfully.
This year, the Puerto Vallarta Marriott was happy to report that as a result of their turtle conservation program, 17,784 baby tortoises were released at the resort, representing 77% of the total number of eggs that were protected in the 2005 season.
| | 2004 | 2005 |
| # of Nests Laid | 192 | 253 | | # of Eggs Collected | 18,014 | 23,663 | | # of Young Freed | 13,495 | 17,784 | | % of Emergence | 78% | 77% |
Note: During spawning season, the resort also cares to the health needs of the turtles, treating wounds and parasites.
In Puerto Vallarta, the beach at the Marriott Hotel in Marina Vallarta is one of a dwindling number of beaches where the turtles feel safe enough to come ashore to lay their eggs.
Every June, scores of Olive Ridley turtles arrive on Banderas Bay beaches to lay their eggs, [100 per turtle on the average,] where they are incubated in the sand until the eggs hatch and the baby turtles emerge.
Fifteen years ago, conscious that the hotel's own recreational activities put the welfare of the turtle eggs in danger, the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort initiated a marine turtle protection program.
Every night from June to December, from 11 pm to 5 am, marine biologist Oscar Aranda patrols the beach to protect the tortoises that come to lay their eggs on the resort's beach and to collect the eggs that are spawned.
The resort's staff recovers the eggs and carefully re-buries them in the Turtle Camp's breeding grounds, where they are watched over until they hatch. Hatchlings are released at night in order to increase their chance of survival.
During the 2005 turtle season, the Marriott's biologist and recreation personnel, with the participation of guests and local school children, contributed to the survival and release of 17,784 newborn tortoises.
Each dusk, when the "tortuguitas" hatch, hotel personnel takes the opportunity to familiarize children and adults with the Olive Ridley turtle, explaining their life cycle and physical characteristics, while creating environmental awareness and encouraging others to help save them.
A curious fact is that the tortoises that are freed at the Marriott Resort in Puerto Vallarta return to that same beach to spawn when they reach breeding age (10 years).
When the children who attend the Marriott's Turtle Camp are informed of this interesting fact during orientation, their faces are filled with amazement. They give their baby turtle a name, wish them luck in their journey, and express their hope to see their turtle again in 10 year's time.
The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort invites you to come and witness a wonder of nature, while participating in the conservation of endangered marine turtles every year from July through November. Without a doubt, to be in such close contact with nature is an unforgettable experience for all ages. |
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