Poachers butcher turtles for their eggs

Reuters reports that dozens of protected Olive Ridley marine turtles were found bludgeoned and carved open by poachers at the weekend.

The slaughter was discovered at La Escobilla, Mexico’s most important Olive Ridley nesting beach, located between the popular surfing resorts of Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido.

Last year, I wrote about the plight of the Leatherback turtle and how their eggs are coveted in the mistaken belief that they possess aphrodisiac properties.

It appears this new slaughter took place at sea, the poachers’ reaction to increased vigilance on beaches by volunteers and army units.

The turtle hunting ban (in place since 1990) and a combination of community education and tough tactics have helped Olive Ridleys make a comeback, according to Cuauhtémoc Peñaflores Salazar, the director of the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga in Mazunte.

Up to 10,000 Olive Ridleys can emerge from the Pacific at a time in arribadas (mass nestings) from June to December to each lay about 100 eggs.

Filed in: Wild Mexico