Local Community Saves Thousands of Sea Turtles!

A local community at Paraiso Beach in Playa del Carmen has recently triumphed over a significant threat to local sea turtles. Thousands of these creatures were endangered by a massive building project planned for their nesting area. This victory is a significant blow against corruption and unlawful behavior.

Previously, I discussed the illegal construction of a condominium on the beachfront, a crucial nesting refuge for sea turtles in Bahia Soliman, Tulum. Despite orders for suspension and closure from the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), and the absence of an Environmental Impact Statement, the construction continued. I also highlighted the potential danger to another turtle sanctuary on Paraiso Beach due to a proposed large condo project.

That same afternoon, the local community managed to secure the definitive cancellation of the construction project after months of struggle. Biologist Irma Pulido, who leads the Sea Turtle Program in the Paraiso Beach community, shared her joy: "We have won a battle against the unchecked ambition of those who wanted to destroy this paradise for commercial interests. Thanks to our love and passion, and the support of those who believed in this dream, we can proudly say today that this site will remain a home for marine life for one more year."

Irma, a 25-year resident of Quintana Roo, runs an environmental association with her husband. Their motivation is to ensure that their 10-year-old son can witness the turtles nesting and hatching on the beach. She later shared a video showing hundreds of newly hatched turtles making their way to the sea.

Thanks to the community's efforts, 20 nests containing over 2,222 turtle eggs have been saved. However, Irma notes that the number of nests is down from 50 at this point in the season in 2023, due to human actions.

A real estate boom that disregards sustainable development and tourism, illegal shoreline constructions, irregularities in permits and licenses, and complicity between marketers and authorities threaten the Mexican Caribbean paradise. Lawyer Antonella Vázquez, from the civil association Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment, confirms that the same developer has seven more projects, one of which is being built in a federal nesting area.

Today, she plans to file an injunction against PROFEPA, the FGR, and the state prosecutor's office. Not all Caribbean coasts have allies like the Paraiso Beach community, with volunteers who clean the coasts, guard the nests at night, and protect the newly hatched turtles on their journey to the sea. But their example is inspiring, and it shows what can be achieved when people unite for a noble cause.