Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – Puerto Vallarta has one of the most successful sea turtle protection programs in the country. While turtle nesting season on the shores of Banderas Bay starts in June and runs through December, the egg incubation and hatching period usually begins in July and, thanks to programs like this, around 85% are incubated successfully.
This was announced during the ceremony that official started the city’s 2023-2024 Sea Turtle Conservation Program, organized by the Environment Sub-directorate, where Councilor Sara Mosqueda Torres highlighted that Puerto Vallarta is a fortunate municipality, since it is not only a nesting area but also has the opportunity to help new generations of turtles integrate into the marine environment, year after year.
Accompanied by various officials and representatives of civil organizations, the president of the Public Safety and Traffic Building Commission pointed out that these actions are the result of the combined efforts of the municipal government, educational institutions and companies committed to the environment.
“To this day, a very good job has been done, but it is essential not to slack off. [We must] continue with environmental education and strengthen social participation,” the councilor said.
She emphasized that it is now time to help complete the birth cycle of the sea turtle and for the city council to continue promoting Puerto Vallarta as a tourist destination that cares for its environment and does its part for the preservation of this species.
Adriana Guzmán Jiménez, the director of the Urban Development and Environment department, pointed out that the protection of the sea turtle is an act of empathy and gratitude to nature, since caring for and contributing to a species like this should be a source of pride for all. “Not only is it our obligation as an authority, but it is also a pleasure and a responsible action. [The sea turtle] is an emblematic species that is part of one of the most valuable ecosystems in our municipality and in the region in general,” she said.
The deputy director of the city’s Department of Environment, Ricardo Cerezo Ortiz, specified that the Sea Turtle Protection and Conservation Program aims to carry out conservation, monitoring and surveillance actions for sea turtles and their nests on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta.
He explained that normally the eggs would incubate in the sand, but recreational activities on Vallarta’s beaches make them dangerous places for baby turtles, so the professional marine biologists and trained personnel from his department conduct beach patrols along 25 kilometers of coastline in search of sea turtles nests, in order to recover and protect the eggs. “With these actions, the Environment Department reaffirms its commitment to care for our resources and the municipality,” he said.
In the current nesting season, the deputy director hopes to exceed the figures from last year, when more than 3,000 nests were rescued and approximately 270,000 hatchlings were released.
After the protocol act, councilor Sara Mosqueda Torres, representing Professor Michel, symbolically planted one of these nests in the nursery on El Holi Beach, where they will later hatch for later release.
The ceremony was attended by City Councilor María Elena Curiel Preciado; the 12th Naval Zone’s Lieutenant Commander, Gerardo González Gabriel; Rigoberto Flores Parra, director of Citizen Security; Hortensia Dueñas Salcedo, Director of Inspection and Regulations; Mario Ramírez, head of the Civil Protection and Fire Department’s Lifeguard Group, and Rohini Suta Velasco, a representative of the Conservation of Wonderful Species of Bahía de Banderas (CEMBAB) civil organization, as well as students from the José Baumgarten Joya elementary school in Las Mojoneras, accompanied by their teachers Eder Méndez Nuño and Brianda Bayardo.
With reporting from Vallarta Opina.