Marine turtles on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala

The CONAP (National Council of Protected Areas) is the Guatemalan institution that pursues the protection of endangered natural areas, in order to save endemic ecosystems of the country, in a sustainable development approach. All the turtle conservation centers have to be registered by CONAP.

In Guatemala, there are 6 of the 8 marine turtle species in the world. At a national level, they are recognized in the list of endangered species of Guatemala. Many international conventions have been created to reduce the threat of illegal trade of these endangered species.

The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) is one of the biggest marine turtles and one of the most nomadic. They can be found in the Mediterranean Sea as well as the Indian or Pacific ocean.

The black turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi) can be seen on all American continent coasts. Its main nidation areas are the Galapagos islands and Michoacán beaches, Mexico.

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) can mainly be found on the Caribbean coasts. There is no register of this species in Guatemala, but during the nesting season there are a maximum of 5,000 hawksbill sea turtles.

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is also a great traveller and can be found all over the globe.

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the biggest sea turtle in the world, weighing an average of 400 kg. Its main nesting areas are in Mexico and Costa Rica.

Finally the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the smallest sea turtle. They are mainly located in the Pacific coast of Mexico. In Guatemala, to encourage its protection, it’s the most controlled species.

During a few months every year, Pacific beaches receive the most beautiful show nature has to give: the nestling and turtles birth. A beautiful step in the creation of life in which you can get involved during your trip to Guatemala.

From August to October, turtles are coming on the black sand beaches to drop their eggs. They are usually collected by conservation centers to incubate them for 40 to 60 days. On eggs hatch, baby turtles are released on the beach, between September and December.

During the evening, baby turtles are placed in small containers, brought to the beach and dropped in the sand. Their instinct forces them to reach the ocean; every turtle goes to its own pace. Everyone can participate, monitored by members of the conservation team to ensure that the security measures are followed. A great experience for the travelers and a nice activity to do with kids.

Since 1993, the organization ARCAS has been fighting against overexploitation of sea turtle eggs. Their main objective is to improve their survival chances and protect these endangered species and their environment. Their main concern is protecting the leatherback sea turtle and the olive ridley sea turtles, whose eggs are collected by locals and sold in the local market for consumption.

The sea turtle conservation program by ARCAS is one of the most productive in Guatemala. Its allows to regulate the quotas of conservation of olive ridley sea turtles and encourage local people to donate the collected eggs to the conservation center instead of selling them. Then, they will proceed with the eggs incubation, before releasing them on the beach.

The organization volunteers are also organizing night patrols and every nestle found during the patrols are transferred to the ARCAS conservation center.

The action of these conservation centers is fundamental as every sea turtle species is endangered. Their presence on the beach is essential to try to preserve the species. They are 5 main threats:

• Human surexploitation – eggs and meat consumptions, handicraft made with skin and shell turtles
• Accidental catch during long lining, gill netting or trawl fishing
• Boat crash
• Natural habitat damage
• Sea, ocean and beach contamination