~  Newsletter No. 262,  December 2023~

Hola Volunteers and Supporters.
 
Except for eight late nests in the nursery, the 2023 nesting season has come to a mellow end, although we may still see a few late natural nests on the beach.  Nests laid between December and mid-April have a difficult time incubating due to the cold sand, which produces all male turtles.
 
Our nursery techniques are designed to encourage female hatchlings, because over-population of males can create problems. When there are many adult males offshore, up to ten males will start fighting to mate with one female. Many times, the fighting males will drown the female since she is on the bottom and cannot get air. See this Fighting to mate video. This is why we do not bring nests into our nursery during the cold months; we let them hatch naturally. This maintains a healthy balance between male and female adult turtles offshore.
 
As for the Leatherback, her nesting season begins around mid-November and ends in mid-April.  So far this season we have discovered three Leatherback nests on another one of our beaches. As you know, the Leatherback is highly endangered. These nests are under the watchful eyes of our volunteers.
 
Also, this month we cleaned up all the egg shells, dead hatchlings, and sterile eggs that we found carelessly scattered around the nest site. 
 
Since we have reached the end of the 2023 nesting season, we will not have any more hatchling releases until next season.  Friday evening hatchling releases will begin again sometime around mid-August 2024. 
 
Here is our end-of-season nest count:  

• We recorded 1,120 nests, about the same as last season.  
• We placed 681 nests in the box nursery.
• We relocated 402 nests to safer areas on the beach
• We recorded 37 nests taken by poachers. 

Overall, in 2023 we released approximately 77,700 hatchlings!  Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers, this was another successful year for our turtle conservation project.
 
My two daughters and I returned from a late evening dinner to find a cat on my doorstep.  In the dark I thought it was my cat Jacky but when I opened the door to bring him inside, I noticed it was not one of my cats.  Instead, it was a totally blind and deaf male cat.  Maybe someone who knows I would be sympathetic had placed this poor cat on my doorstep. I thought “Just what I need, a blind cat,” but right away he figured out the layout of the house, discovered the sandbox, food and water, and selected a place to sleep.  He quickly fit in, and is now a welcome part of our family of cats.       
 
Our hatchling releases were very popular. We would like to thank the organizers of the releases: Elvia Garcia, Odette Brunel, Susana Ayón, Ulises Ledesma González, Deanna Covington, and Blanca G. 
 
Thanks also to our terrific December staff and volunteers:  Jessica Schmidt, Karen Sorum, Hallie Loveridge, Nick Sanders, Odette Brunel, Taylor Kimbell, Patrick Becker, Susana Ayón, Ulises Ledesma González, Deanna Covington, Rickey Burke, Susan Stephens, Blanca G, Steve Raschke and Elvia Garcia.   
 
If you or someone you know is interested in helping us next summer, the 2024 nesting season, you can sign up by going to our Volunteer application page. As always, please help us by spreading the word about our volunteering opportunity.
 
We have one apartment for rent from February through May.  This apartment is fully furnished, with all utilities paid, including telephone, high-speed fiber optic internet, and it has all the necessary appliances.  It is located in a relatively quiet area near Los Olas.  The rent for apartment one is $1,200 per month. Call (322) 154-0077 or (311) 258-4100 for more information.
 
An excellent way to help Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde is by making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) charity partner.  To donate you can contact Travler at www.travler.org, which is a US charity organization that has supported Grupo Ecológico for several years. Click on this link to make a tax-deductible contribution.
 
Weather-wise: December daytime temperatures range in the mid-80° to mid-70°, while nighttime temps are mid to high-70° to mid-60°.  December rainfall was 2.58 inches, and for the year the amount came to 45.41 inches.  All around we experienced good weather.
 
A heartfelt thanks to all our many donors! You are our heroes: Patricia Schmidt, Karen Wilson, James Mitchell, Caren Elkan, Ann Medlin, Brian Culligan, Julie Bidgen, Venkat Reddy Chitti, Susan Stephens, Kiley Branson, Mike and Cindi Whitehead, Kiley Branson, Jennifer Nelsen, Steven Ogden, Jhoni Marchinko, Mandy Thompson, Steven Ogden, Tania Brightman, Morgan Elsier and Steven Ogden. 
 
Please help if you can by contributing at our website PayPal link, or take a tax deduction with your donation made through Travler’s charity.
 
Town and Country-wise:  This Christmas / New Year holiday has been over-amped with more tourists than I have ever seen during the holiday. If you like sand kicked in your face, come join us on the beach.
 
Frank Smith, Director.
Jessica Schmidt, Co-Director
Elvia Garcia, Secretary
Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde, A.C.
Our email is: [email protected]
Our website is: http://www.project-tortuga.org
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectTortuga/
https://www.instagram.com/projecttortugasanpancho/
https://www.instagram.com/projecttortugasanpancho/For new Volunteers
https://www.project-tortuga.org/handbook.html

Come Visit our Turtle Nursery!

Call in advance so we can prepare for your visit!
Please Note that we work at Night so Morning Calls May be Missed.

Grupo Ecologico de la Costa Verde
102 America Latina,
San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico
Tel: 311-258-4100
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]