Playa del Carmen’s turtle nesting season is beginning under difficult beach conditions, but officials say arrivals have not declined so far. The city is monitoring 23 kilometers of coastline as sargassum continues to affect parts of the Mexican Caribbean. Early figures show 20 nests have been recorded, with Xpu-Há leading the count. The update comes as the municipality coordinates with concession holders, hotels, and environmental staff to reduce risks to nesting turtles and their eggs.
Turtle nesting continues despite sargassum
Playa del Carmen officials say sea turtle nesting has not decreased at the start of the 2026 season, despite heavy sargassum on several local beaches.
Yamili Collí, the city’s subdirector of Environmental Education and Outreach, said monitoring work is being carried out along 23 kilometers of coastline under municipal care.
The city has registered 20 turtle nests so far this season. Xpu-Há, south of Playa del Carmen, has recorded the highest number of nests, with 15.
Officials said the city is working with beach concession holders on precautionary measures. The goal is to avoid harm to turtles that come ashore and to protect nests already identified by monitoring teams.
Hotels and beach operators are part of the response
The city said communication with hotel operators is being maintained through the federal maritime zone office. Technical staff is also continuing beach monitoring during the early part of the season.
Sargassum can complicate beach work because cleanup crews must balance removal with the protection of nesting areas. Heavy machinery, night lighting, and beach activity can disturb turtles if work is not managed carefully.
The municipal turtle program began its 2026 season earlier this month. Officials said the program includes nest monitoring, protection work, hatchling releases, hotel-sector training, and environmental education.
Playa del Carmen officials also reported that the municipal program has operated since 2012, with a specialized committee formed in 2014.
Last season’s numbers give the new count context
The municipality reported that the 2025 season recorded 1,796 nests, 199,242 eggs, and 159,548 hatchlings released.
Most nests last season were from the white turtle, also known as the green turtle. The city reported that 80 percent of the 2025 records were for that species. Loggerhead turtles accounted for 19.7 percent, while hawksbill turtles made up 0.3 percent.
Officials had already said they expected fewer nests in 2026 because of natural reproductive cycles. The early sargassum conditions have now added another concern, though the city says no decline has been observed so far.
Four sea turtle species nest along Playa del Carmen’s coast: loggerhead, white or green, hawksbill, and leatherback. Sea turtles in Mexico are protected under federal environmental rules.
