Baja California Sur, Mexico – The sea turtle nesting and release season has kicked off along the coasts of Baja California Sur, mobilizing community camps, volunteers, and environmental technicians in a months-long effort that runs from July through November. The season centers overwhelmingly on the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, which accounts for 99.8% of nesting activity in the Eastern Pacific, according to Fernando Garza, conservation technician at Pronatura Noroeste and executive director of Kahal Bioturismo.
Sea turtle nesting in Baja California Sur is drawing renewed attention as protective efforts layer science, local participation and tourism awareness around one of the region’s most vulnerable natural cycles. Garza stressed that Mexico is “the land of sea turtles,” and Baja California Sur hosts five of the world’s seven species, including the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and the black sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii), in addition to the dominant olive ridley. Nesting hotspots stretch from Todos Santos to Los Barriles, with occasional records as far afield as Bahía de Los Ángeles.
Peak nesting typically aligns with August and September, when humidity, temperature, tides and lunar phases synchronize with seasonal rainfall and tropical storm activity. These variables strongly influence success rates, making careful monitoring and timing critical. Patrols are conducted primarily at night, on foot or by ATV, tracking the telltale traces of females coming ashore. Once nests are located, staff evaluate risk: some remain in situ, while others are moved to protected incubation pens ex situ to improve hatchling survival chances.
Eggs incubate for roughly 45 days. When hatchlings emerge, technical teams coordinate their release, a moment that doubles as environmental education and a fundraising opportunity—especially for camps lacking public funding. Garza emphasized the importance of adhering to staff guidance during releases, noting that imprinting at birth is vital; many turtles return years later to the same beaches where they entered the sea.
Federal oversight of the process is governed by NOM-162-SEMARNAT, which lays out technical standards from egg collection to nest exhumation and hatchling release. The regulation exists to standardize procedures and improve reproductive success of protected species.
Active turtle camps and community efforts are spread across the state. El Pescadero, Todos Santos, Asumatoma, and Playitas lead organized camp work, while grassroots participation comes from La Ventana, El Sargento, Los Barriles, and hotel-linked efforts in Cabo San Lucas, among others. Many operate on volunteer labor and donations, coordinating with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp).
During the 2024 season, the Todos Santos Turtle Group reported releasing 39,125 hatchlings and protecting between 800 and 900 nests. Despite a slight dip from the prior year, the group considered the season a success given tightening budgets and logistical hurdles, said its president, Enedino Castillo. In Los Cabos, municipal authorities protected 300 nests on El Médano and Pueblo Bonito beaches and released thousands of hatchlings, even as the local goal remained ambitious: safeguarding 10,000 nests in the region. The turtle camp “El Suspiro” of Asupmatoma averages between 1,000 and 1,300 protected nests per season, translating to roughly 130,000 eggs—potential future generations if survival cycles hold.
Challenges persist. Dog attacks on nesting females and nests have been recurring, particularly at La Pastora Beach in Todos Santos, where incidents have been reported for three consecutive years. Castillo and other local leaders have publicly urged authorities and residents to keep pets restrained during the season to prevent further losses.
All seven species of sea turtles are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and in Baja California Sur, they face layered threats beyond predation: coastal development, artificial lighting, uncontrolled tourism, and climate change continue to erode nesting success and habitat quality.
Garza issued a direct call to the public: Respect nesting beaches. He asked that people avoid driving motorized vehicles on nesting sands, refrain from bonfires, remove trash, and eliminate artificial lighting that confuses hatchlings and disorients nesting females. These simple actions, he noted, reinforce the work done by technical teams and help preserve the link between generations.
The growing visibility of turtle releases has also turned them into a conservation touchpoint for residents and visitors alike. Close encounters with hatchlings, when managed responsibly, serve as memorable entry points to broader environmental stewardship. For local communities, the season is not only a biological cycle but a moment to build awareness, rally support, and raise the funds needed to sustain the work in future years.
As the season progresses, monitoring efforts and community vigilance will determine whether this year builds on past gains or slides backward. For now, the mix of local commitment, federal regulation, and public engagement offers a guarded reason for cautious optimism in protecting Baja California Sur’s marine heritage.
