Sea Turtle Conservation and Liberation

Take part in the Sea Turtle Relesase Program in Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit

Since 1993, all the communities along Mexico's Pacific coast, including Puerto Vallarta, have been participating in a program to conserve sea turtles, since up to 6 of the 8 different kinds of them are born here, and return to hatch their eggs each year. The kind of sea turtle most often seen in Vallarta is the Olive Ridley, but the giant Leatherback sea turtles have made their presence known, along with the Green turtle.

The program in the Vallarta area has successfully linked tour operators, hotels, local, state and federal authorities and the local police together in allowing the public at large to participate in turtle liberation at hatcheries along many beaches behind local hotels. The liberations take place between May and December each year.

The main objective of the sea turtle conservation program is to protect sea turtles from looting (of their eggs, which are considered delicacies) and natural predators so that the amount of liberated sea turtles increases year by year.

Up to now, there has been a marked increase in the number of released turtles. Biologist Adrian Maldonado, who heads the Research Subcommittee of the Technological Institute of Banderas Bay, has stated that, in one camp in Nuevo Vallarta alone, the number of recovered sea turtle nests has grown by 600% in the past ten years.

Marine biologists have discovered that sea turtles prefer to nest in areas where there is artificial light, despite the well-known fact that they abhor bright light. For this reason, the beaches at many major hotels, from Puerto Vallarta’s extreme south all the way to Nuevo Vallarta and further north along the Riviera Nayarit host liberation programs for tourist and locals to participate in, along with local schools. The purpose of these programs is to foster a culture of conservation and to spread knowledge about the importance of sea turtle conservation as these creatures are under threat of extinction.

If you or your children are interested in sea turtle liberation, and willing to stay up all night at the beach at your hotel, you can watch the arrival of the turtles during the night. Scientists do not yet understand why it is that these creatures always return to the place they were born, regardless of how far away they travel from there, sometimes to the other side of the world.

Awaiting their arrival is a mystical experience. The professional onsite guides will show you how to take the hatchlings into your hands and release them into the waves, in order to spare them the often perilous journey by crawling from their nests to the water, so that these incredible creatures can begin their world tours.

For more information on how you can participate in the Turtle Release program or any other eco or adventure tour from scuba diving to canopy zip line in Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit, please contact your Luxury Beach Concierge. We can also provide recommendation on luxury accommodations– whether villas or condominium rentals - in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, including Punta de Mita.