~  Newsletter No.  241,  March, 2022 ~

Hola Volunteers and Supporters ~

Circo de Los Niños was a delightful event, as it been for the past ten years.  The presentation was performed by the talented children of San Pancho and will be part of our history forever.  After ten years as director of Circo de Los Niños, Gilles Ste-Croix and his wife Monique Voyer, are retiring.  Although I am sure that they will be back stage adding support if necessary.

We are looking forward to the upcoming 6th annual Environmental Fair at Entreamigo’s on April 1st. Join us, if you can, from 9 AM to 4 PM.   

We are very grateful for the help of our recent donors:  Jennifer Nelsen, Lynda Gilman, Karen Hope, Jennifer Douglass, Gale Greer, Patricia Schmidt, Susan Stephens and Rickey Burke, and Todd Morris.  The purchase of the Can-am was necessary, as our 55 year old dune buggy’s days are numbered.  The Can-am purchase set us back financially, especially when you take into account that all our other means of income has been handicapped due to the pandemic.  If you can help us, go to our PayPal account and donate.

Generally it takes about eleven to sixteen years for a young female turtle to begin nesting for the first time.  Although, to produce just one single young female, we must release around 3,600 hatchlings.  Out of the thousands of hatchlings that were released over the past sixteen years, we expect to receive an annual return of 22 to 32 young nesting females each season.  Her nesting beaches span a distance of 5.5 miles, or 9 kilometers, from Playa La Clavellina to the north, to the beach at Sayulita to the south.

Let’s say that we released just one single hatchling six years ago, and her and all her offspring survived.  At the end of six years, her offspring would have produced over 8,160,000,000 nesting turtles.  Although to keep the population stabilized (without humans interfering), Mother Nature knows exactly what she is doing, producing only 1 hatchling out of 3,600.  A single turtle track on the beach during the winter is not a crisis, unless someone makes it one.

Placing a fence, or other objects, such as beer cans, around a fresh nest is doing more harm than good.  When the turtle spent 20 minutes covering her nest, the true location of her eggs are seldom where you think they would be.  Throughout an incubation period of 50 to 60 days, waves, human tracks, moving beach furniture, and onlookers standing on the side of what they think is the side of the nest, may be standing directly on top of it.  

If someone is dedicated enough to stand guard over that nest for 50 to 60 days, go for it.  Otherwise, if you see a nesting turtle on the beach call us at 311-258-4100 and we will relocate the nest to a safer location.

Weather-wise:  Temperatures during the day were in the mid to high 70’s°, while nighttime temps were in the mid to high 60’s°.  Mostly sunny, warm days.  No rain in March, for the year the rainfall came to .02 inches.

January Volunteers:  Karen Sorum and Hallie Loveridge, Juan Flores and family, Taylor Kimbell, Katie Grant, Esteban Millard, Susan Stephens and Rickey Bunke.  We are looking for several more volunteers for this coming from August through November. If you, or a friend, are interested, go to our webpage: Application  

Town and country wise:  Regular gasoline is around 4.00 dollars per gallon, the exchange rate is around 20 pesos per dollar.  Water under the bridge has stopped flowing despite receiving 52 inches of rain last year, while the jungle appears to be drying up faster than expected.

Frank Smith, Director.
Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde, A.C.
Our email is: grupo-eco@project-tortuga.org
Our website is: http://www.project-tortuga.org
Our Facebook site is: San Pancho Marine Turtle Conservation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projecttortugasanpancho
 
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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: projecttortuga@gmail.com
grupo-eco@project-tortuga.org