The season has come when sea turtles make their way to Puerto Peñasco’s shores to lay eggs before returning to sea. This provides a beautiful spectacle of nature for all who have the opportunity to witness it, as described by CEDO Executive Director Nélida Barajas who took part in a turtle rescue.
We’d like to share the story as to how our friends from the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO) not only perform research but also work tirelessly for and on behalf of animals from the sea and desert surrounding Puerto Peñasco.
“It was a cool October morning when we received the call from the local ZOFEMAT office (Federal Maritime Land Zone),” described Bajaras on the CEDO blog. “An Olive Ridley turtle was found at Playa Hermosa. She had gone out at night to lay her eggs and looked tired and had some wounds on her fins. This turtle was probably born here and came back so that her babies would also be from Rocky Point. She was so tired that she was unable to return to sea. Neighbors and visitors informed authorities, who initiated the rescue by calling CEDO Intercultural.”
Bajaras goes on, “We went to examine the turtle, who was exhausted and had minor injuries and who, undoubtedly, needed to rest in a protected place before returning to sea. The team moved her to our Agustin Cortés Building at the CEDO campus where she was kept for hours under observation before being released. CEDO’s team and our family accompanied the turtle back to the sea. It was an awesome experience for us and our children!”
Bajaras expressed gratitude to the CEDO Intercultural team for their passion and dedication, as well as to all who have contributed through donations to help support CEDO’s efforts, expressing “Your donations write our history!”
Those who participated in the recent turtle rescue and release included: Abelardo Castillo: Veterinary and Geographer, Associate Specialist at CEDO; Paloma Valdivia, biologist specializing in turtle physiology and ecology and currently CEDO Education and Communications Manager; Aldemaro García, Infrastructure Manager at CEDO and originally from Rocky Point; Humberto González Veliz, Marine Biologist, ZOFEMAT Supervisor; and children related to CEDO staff, Gala Solis, Joan Loreto Castillo, Luis Enrique Gaxiola, Marina Gaxiola, and Noah Solis.
Congratulations to the whole CEDO team on your honorable work, as well as to those who took part in the turtle rescue and release!
These are actions worth sharing!
