Turtle release in Puerto Vallarta

Complying with the required preventive measures, turtle camps in the destination are more than ready to welcome you.

Every year, turtle release is a natural spectacle in Puerto Vallarta that visitors are looking forward to enjoying.

Starting in the month of August all the way through December, you can experience releasing recently hatched baby turtles and see them take their first steps and prepare for the adventure that awaits in the Pacific Ocean.

Turtle camps in the destination are ready to welcome you in small groups, complying with the health and hygiene preventive measures. One of them is Boca de Tomates Turtle Camp, located in the north of Puerto Vallarta, where a hatchery with more than 170 nests from Olive Ridley turtles, the main species that arrives at Bahia de Banderas, is found.

Turtle release is an ideal activity for the whole family, where kids and adults can be a part of this heartwarming experience and watch how baby turtles follow their instinct and head towards the sea and their life in the ocean.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR TURTLE RELEASE IN PUERTO VALLARTA

In order to be able to release turtles in Puerto Vallarta, turtle camps are allowing groups of maximum 40 people, with safe distance measures, and mandatory use of facemasks. First, an expert gives visitors a small environmental chat. Then, they are given a coconut shell and a hatchling is placed in the shell since you should not touch or hold a baby turtle with bare hands.

Turtle release is carried out in this camp and the beaches of other hotels in the destination. This experience has turned into a very special moment for visitors and locals alike, since it also includes enjoying amazing sunsets, to prevent natural predators from attacking the hatchlings, such as birds and fish.

You can release sea turtles for free, but, if you wish, you can give a donation to preserve this fascinating species and encourage the work done by the nonprofits in the area.

ADOPT A TURTLE’S NEST!

You can adopt your very own turtle’s nest. According to José Antonio Ramirez, leader of the Boca de Tomates camp, those interested can adopt a nest, and it will bear your name. And, when the hatchlings are born, you will be cordially invited to attend its release.

SANDY FEET TURTLES

The Olive Ridley turtles, as well as the Humpback whales that arrive in the winter, have created a very intense and special bond with the region, thanks to their yearly visits.

This turtle species arrive at various beaches in Puerto Vallarta and the Pacific to lay their eggs. When this happens, the eggs are moved to safe nurseries guarded by the Municipal Department of Ecology and volunteers from various associations and nonprofits. 

During the last year, various camps and volunteers identified 2,800 nests, and around 200,000 babies were released. These are encouraging numbers according to the statistics, since 1 out of 1,000 baby turtles reach adulthood.

So remember, if during your stay in Puerto Vallarta you find a turtle by the beach, it’s safe to keep a distance of 7 meters approximately, not take pictures with a flash since you can scare them away, and above all, not bother them because it can interrupt the spawning process.

Be part of this wonderful experience, framed by the most amazing sunsets in Puerto Vallarta, and witness how baby turtles place their flippers on the sand for the first time to start their journey into the sea. 

This is one of the many activities you can live in Puerto Vallarta to enjoy contact with nature. If you want to book your space and be part of this activity, you can contact Boca de Tomates Turtle Camp at (52) 322 262 02 49 or through their Facebook page: facebook.com/campamentobocadetomates/

Have you lived this experience? Let us know!