Learn about the hatching of sea turtles and support its monitoring

🕗 3 hours  ·  👥 25 max. · 📆 Seasonal (January – March)

This educational field expedition (available from January through March) invites participants to join a citizen science process alongside researchers, assisting in sea turtle nest excavations and exhumations to evaluate hatching success and support the safe release of hatchlings into the ocean.

Please consider:

• Suitable for families and all ages.

• Seasonally available during the hatching period (January to March).

• Hatchling emergences and nest excavations depend on natural incubation timing and weather conditions.

• Strict light protocols apply: only red lights are allowed; white flashlights, phone screens, and camera flashes are strictly prohibited on the beach.

Why is this important?

Rising sand temperatures driven by climate change, historical egg poaching, and high nest predation by subsidized wildlife (such as raccoons and pets) pose severe threats to sea turtle survival at Las Baulas National Marine Park. Through carefully managed beach hatcheries and scientific nest exhumations, researchers measure hatching success rates and help ensure that as many hatchlings as possible reach the ocean safely. By participating in this experience, you directly fund local nest protection efforts, scientific monitoring, and environmental education in neighboring communities.