Baja Turtles » Leatherback Sea Turtle http://www.bajaturtles.com Conservation, Education and Release Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:52:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Leatherback Turtle Returning Home! http://www.bajaturtles.com/leather-back-turtle-returning-home/ http://www.bajaturtles.com/leather-back-turtle-returning-home/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:21:01 +0000 turtle lady http://www.bajaturtles.com/?p=66 We are having wonderful weather, and the return of the tourists is in full swing. Today we sighted the return of a Leatherback Turtle (or Tortuga Laud in Spanish). The female Leatherback turtle came to shore at Lighthouse Point, just to the south of Los Barilles, to lay her eggs.

Leatherback Turtle

Leatherback turtle laying eggs

Leatherback turtle burying eggs

We were able to mark the turtle nest and we hope to protect it during the turtle egg incubation period. Leatherback turtle eggs usually hatch in about 50 to 75 days from the day they are laid. The incubation period varies depending on the weather conditions with dry and warm weather shortening the sea turtle egg incubation time. This can also decrease the survival rate of the turtle eggs. Leatherback turtles can lay up to four times a year and the number of eggs usually varies from 45 to 160.

The Leatherback turtle is the largest species of sea turtle and it’s been known to weigh as much as a ton. The Leatherback turtle’s scientific name is Dermochelys Coriacea.

Photos courtesy of rustinpc (1 – 2 – 3)

]]> http://www.bajaturtles.com/leather-back-turtle-returning-home/feed/ 0 Baby Green Sea Turtles http://www.bajaturtles.com/baby-green-sea-turtles/ http://www.bajaturtles.com/baby-green-sea-turtles/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:01:14 +0000 admin http://www.bajaturtles.com/?p=81 You never know when there will be a call for help. These baby Green sea turtles ended up hatching in the middle of heavy beach traffic and were therefore at risk of not surviving on their way to the sea. The hotel manager of Playa Del Sol (Tomas) gave us a call and we immediately began the rescue.

The rescue also turned into an opportunity to teach and give people a first hand experience of helping the sea turtles. There were a number of hotel guests and other vacationers on the beach who were able to see the hatching and were introduced to some of the difficulties these sea turtles have for their survival.

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