Monday 7 February 2011

First Leatherback Nest of the Year!


Holas!
Great news from La Barrona, Guatemala... on the 28th of January we were graced with the first Leatherback nest of the season, further to that it is also the ONLY nest that has been laid on the entire Pacific coast of Guatemala this year. The Eastern Pacific population of Leatherbacks is in serious decline and the low nesting numbers in Guatemala over the last few years speak for themselves.
We burried 56 eggs in the hatchery on the morning of the 28th and these should hatch in about 60 days... the 8th of April. Photos will follow..

Let's hope that this lone female comes back again over the next few weeks to lay another nest because every one really does count. If you'd like to read some more on Leatherbacks and conservation of the Eastern Pacific population the following are interesting sites:

http://www.conservation.org/great_turtle_race/Pages/pacific_leatherbacks_face_extinction.aspx

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/6494/0