It is considered the largest marine chelonian species in the world.
The Xcacel Xcacelito sea turtle sanctuary recorded this month, for the first time in 36 years, the nesting of the leatherback species, considered the largest sea turtle in the world, reported the Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Natural Areas of the State of Quintana Roo ( Ibanqroo).
Xcacel-Xcacelito has been declared a Protected Natural Area since 1998 with the category of Zone Subject to Ecological Conservation “Sea Turtle Sanctuary”. In addition to protecting sea turtles, it is home to a wide variety of birds. It has an area of 362 hectares of jungle and beaches where there are mangroves, cenotes and coral reefs.
Since the record was made and until last year, a total of 54,214 white or green turtle nests and 9,030 loggerhead nests have been reported; A total of 4 million 77 thousand 850 white or green turtles and 711 thousand 891 loggerhead turtle hatchlings have been released in this space.
So far in 2023, 928 sea turtle nests have been taken. Of these, 270 correspond to the loggerhead species, 658 to the white or green turtle, and one to the leatherback.
Xcacel-Xcacelito has become a prominent tourist attraction for Quintana Roo. At the same time, it focuses on the protection of these species and the maintenance of their habitat, promoting sustainable and responsible tourism.
“In collaboration with various sectors of society, strategies and concrete measures are developed to protect these endangered species, as well as promote scientific research and continuous monitoring of their population,” according to Ibanqroo.
Source: La Jornada Maya
