El Cid Resorts is working with the Sea Turtle Conservation Program of CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas) and the UNDP-Resilience Project in Puerto Morelos.
Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort is located in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo. What was once a fishing village, has now grown to overlook the beautiful beach of what is now the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park.
This National Park holds a coral reef barrier which forms part of the 2nd longest chain of reefs in the world, a fragile and vulnerable ecosystem made up of various types of corals, which function as habitats to many marine species, including turtles.
Unfortunately, ocean pollution and climate change have unleashed a butterfly effect, such as the case of coral bleaching due to high temperatures, excess of nutrients due to the massive arrival of sargassum and the recent disease called the “White Syndrome”, which has caused the death of more than half of the brain corals in a single year.
Therefore, to find the solutions to this serious problem, El Cid Resorts has joined this new initiative called Project Resilience, with the purpose of contributing both in the implementation of actions, such as research, as well as social management; in order to face this serious global problem that we and many species are facing.
Facing the Problem…
One of the many serious consequences of climate change is the excessive increase in the temperature of our planet. As a result of which, the oceans have been seriously affected and ecosystems; such as the coral reefs and the species that inhabit them, have been threatened or are on the verge of disappearing, as is the case of the Sea Turtles, cataloged as “endangered”.
Previously, the Environmental Department of El Cid Puerto Morelos worked with the Biological Field Officer, Vanessa Francisco of the UNDP-Resilience Project, to install the thermographs: a specialized tool used to measure and record the temperature of the sand around the turtle nests.
This device stores in a chip all the data of the temperature changes that occur in the nests (Thermograph Data), which allows them to add data to an investigation that has been going on for about 6 years.
Its Meaningfulness on Our Planet
Sea Turtles have been inhabiting the Earth for more than 220 million years, their presence is a reflection of the health of our oceans, but now this ancient species is reaching the point of extinction.
UNDP-Resilience Project staff and CONANP Park Rangers from Puerto Morelos included El Cid’s nesting beaches in their temperature monitoring program.
Did you know that the sex of an entire sea turtle clutch is defined by the temperature of its nest? Like many reptiles, and some invertebrates, sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination; If the temperature of an incubating nest exceeds 29°C, most of the turtles that hatch will be female; on the other hand, if the temperature is below 29°C, almost the entire clutch will be male, however if the temperature is around 29°C, then 50% of the turtles will be female and 50% male.
There are many gaps in our knowledge of how temperature changes resulting from climate change will affect sea turtle populations. Nest temperatures are subject to several factors, including, but not limited to, nest location within a beach, shading, vegetation and depth, and may vary not only among beaches but also within beaches. The implementation of projects such as this one is a necessary step in assessing the climate impact on beaches and turtles.
The data gathered during this nesting season, both from nests at El Cid Resorts and from other beaches in Puerto Morelos and worldwide, will allow research biologists to compare the increase in clutch temperature over the 6 years of research, as well as the extent to which beach temperatures are changing and where; this will provide a better understanding of the current conditions and allow them to find new solutions to mitigate their impacts.
In México, the Resilience Project is implemented by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is executed locally by CONANP. It involves 14 states covering 12 ecoregions in 18 natural protected areas.
Remember at El Cid Resorts we seek to promote sustainability during your stay, as nowadays, solidarity in the world is becoming stronger in order to preserve life for future generations. For us, it is important to contribute with our grain of sand working together with other organizations and our guests to show love and respect to life on our planet.
