A turtle carries its home on its back, teaching us that we always have what we need within…
Summer time over the globe is an active time for wildlife. Many species of animals take advantage of the warm weather for spawning or migrating. Whale sharks visit our coasts hungry for plankton and small crustaceans. Parrots and herons raise their chicks, and several species of turtles flock to our beaches to lay their nests. It’s a wonderful time of year for special animal encounters and our beach is the place to witness them.
Turtles are fascinating creatures. They’re a symbol of longevity. Turtles survived the extinction that dinosaurs didn’t. Some turtle species live up to 200 years. Sea turtles aren’t social animals, so it is rare and significant if one does get curious and comes close. Turtles are resilient; they can last 4 to 7 hours under water without having to take a breath.
You can find turtles all around the world. They use the Earth’s compass to navigate through oceans. What sets turtles apart from other marine animals is that they do something called natal homing. The mother turtles dig their nests on the same beach where they were born.
We find that especially sweet. These turtles have been coming to our beach for centuries. Because we share their habitat, we believe it’s our social responsibility to keep the grounds as safe as possible for the nesting season. We have designed a set of rules that we ask our guests to follow, so they can witness this special moment in nature and not interfere. We’re lucky to have three turtle species nesting on our coasts; loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles visit us on summer nights.
We kindly ask that you don’t use your phone, tablets, or flashlights at night on the beach. Turtles are acutely sensitive to white light which frightens them to the point that they may abandon the nest, return to the sea, and release their eggs into the ocean. To avoid this worst-case scenario, we have illuminated our beach with red light, which turtles are much less sensitive to.
If you are on the beach and a turtle comes up to begin nesting, don’t move or make noise. If they sense your presence, they won’t proceed to dig the nest. We’ve designed our rooms to have a unique view to the beach, so you can watch from meters away. We believe this is the best way to respect these majestic animals. Mama turtles can take up to 2 to 3 hours to nest, so it’s really important not to disturb them.
We have been sending information about turtles nesting and hatching to Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration, an organization that’s dedicated to the restoration of coral reefs. At the moment, their nursery is home to more than 5 endemic species of coral. Over the years, their coral fragments have grown into colonies and now is home to different fish and sea invertebrates. Information on turtle sightings helps these scientists integrate research and conservation efforts.
After years of witnessing mama turtles and their babies, we’ve learned a couple lessons from these amazing animals. Sometimes in life you have to dig deep, or get yourself out of a big hole. Some of our journeys are long, but by traveling far we can see the world. And most importantly, always make time for the beach!
