One of the most amazing species found in the Riviera Maya is the sea turtle. There are eight existing sea turtle species, four of which nest right here in the state of Quintana Roo.
The word Akumal comes from the Maya, meaning “Place of the Turtles.” And it got its name for very obvious reasons: it is the most important nesting beach in the region and one of the biggest natural homes to young turtles.
Akumal is very popular amongst tourists, but it’s also home to over 40 juvenile sea turtles. The amounts of seagrass found in the bay makes it a popular feeding ground for the hard-shelled green inhabitant.
Turtles originally moved here in order to isolate themselves. But now there is a huge attraction to seeing this phenomenon of nature known as the turtle nesting season which runs May until September of every year. These creatures need their space, so onlookers are limited to how much they see or can interact with. But there are ways to become actively involved and enjoy this experience.
You can volunteer at a sea turtle camps. Here you will learn the basics of patrolling and monitoring sea turtles. You’ll be working with adults and hatchlings throughout nesting season (working with both adults and hatchlings).
Eco-touring. The best way to help with conservation is by educating yourself as to what you can and cannot do on the beach. You can contact a sea turtle camp and find out where you get to witness the nesting process, or if they will have hatchling releases for you to see.
Akumal is the most popular location to witness this event. The reason being that there are juvenile sea turtles swimming in the bay every day of the y0ear. It is also the closest beach to Gate48, only a 15 minute drive. There are a few other beaches that you can check out, including Xpu-Ha, Tulum and Cancun.
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