Turtle nesting season begins in September and October in the Todos Santos area generally.  Last year the first nestings were spotted at the end of October:  Please don’t drive on the beaches!  This is one of the last pesticide free nesting ranges in the world for Caray, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Participate in Adopt a Hatchling program and help save thousands of sea turtle hatchlings. Participants recieve a Sea Turtle Birth Certificate, and photo of their hatchling. Proceeds go directly to rescue and care of eggs and hatchlings. If you are interested in helping protect turtles in the Todos Santos area please vist : http://www.todostortugueros.org/ 

Be a Friend to the Leatherback

DO NOT:

• drive or walk on the beach above the high tide line- this crushes eggs and hatchlings in the nest!
• walk on the beach at night- this scares turtles away
• walk/stand in front of turtle
• plant anything on the beach or dunes
• use lights on the beach
• use flash photography or video around a turtle
• buy products made from turtles

DO:

• speak very softly if near a turtle
• use red lights instead of white on the exterior of your house if it is visible from the beach
• tell a park official if you see any practices that may be harmful to turtles
• appreciate this fascinating animal
• share your knowledge of leatherbacks with others

Some interesting facts concerning Leatherback Turtles.

• A leatherback’s favorite food is jellyfish. They even have a special notch in their beak to help puncture the man-o-war jellyfish.
• Leatherbacks lay eggs the size of billiard balls and SAGs. SAGs are not eggs; they are smaller and have shell and albumen but not yolk
• The temperature in the nest determines if a hatchling will be male or female
• A leatherback’s shell is covered by a leathery skin
• The “tears” that turtles “cry” are just their way of shedding excess salt

For more information about leatherback turtles visit http://www.leatherback.org/ldc/pg/aboutturtles.htm