Campamento Tortuguero Ayotlcalli A.C. (2024)

Campamento Tortuguero Ayotlcalli A.C. was founded in 2011 in to protect leatherback, green, and olive ridley sea turtles along 15 km of Mexico’s west coast, including Playa Blanca, Playa Larga, and Barra de Potosí. With the help of local and international volunteers, sea turtle nests are relocated to a hatchery to protect them from illegal harvesting, predators, vehicles, pollution, and erosion. As leatherback nesting has increased since 2019, nighttime monitoring has become more frequent. Education is a key component of the project, using presentations and puppet shows to teach tourists and schoolchildren about sea turtles’ life cycles, threats, and conservation.

The project will continue patrolling the beaches nightly to find and protect turtle nests, with two volunteers monitoring each shift. Monthly beach cleanups will engage the community, while wooden signs and flyers will inform beachgoers about reducing light pollution and protecting hatchlings. Educational presentations will raise awareness among visitors and students. The "Warriors of the Rainbow" summer camp will be held in August, encouraging youth involvement in conservation. Through media outreach, people will be encouraged to pick up trash and behave responsibly around nesting turtles and hatchlings, ensuring a safer environment for these endangered species.