On the Second Day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. That is some creative gifting! We have the perfect gift for someone special in your life that you would love to gift with something meaningful and precious.
You can give the gift of rescuing baby sea turtles! The Tortugario in Monterrico, Guatemala looks to preserve and conserve marine sea turtles that nest each year on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. This is the nesting site for three species of endangered sea turtles. It is in fact one of the few places in the world that is visited by so many species. Plus, these turtles are extremely important to preserving the marine habitats. This operation is part of the San Carlos University Center for Conservation Studies (CECON). They offer to buy eggs found on the beach from the finders. Guatemalan law says that residents may keep only % of eggs found. The rest they must sell to the tortugarios for hatch and release.
The nesting season runs from June through January, but peaks in August and September. During this time female sea turtles return to the place of their birth to lay their clutch of eggs in the sands. Arriving in the dark she digs a hole and fills it with eggs before covering the site with sand and returning to the sea. When the eggs are ready to hatch the baby sea turtles emerge from the nest and make their way across the sands to enter the ocean for the first time.
Rescued eggs are held in the sand at the tortugario until it’s time to hatch. Once the baby turtles have emerged from the sand they are released on the beach to make their way home to the sea.
You can rescue one sea turtle for $25. This price will include an e-card for you to send including a video of a baby sea turtle entering the sea. Or in the spirit of the season rescue more!
All of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated to the Tortugario Monterrico to support their rescue efforts. Monies will be used to expand holding facilities and purchase more eggs in the future.
We thank you for caring and wish you and yours a blessed holiday!