Turtle News - They are back! As for countless thousands of years, the Olive Ridley turtles are now in their peak birthing months in La Ventana Bay. The next month marks the peak of their nesting cycle. Nightly, new nests are being dug and others are hatching. Over 200 nests have been marked so far by local volunteers. The number of identified nests has been very consistent over the years there has been nest monitoring. Turtle guardians mark nests every other day in La Ventana Bay, and are now making regular trips to Isla Cerralvo observing turtle activity there as well.
The rate of successful nests last season was diminished by two primary factors, dry sand and vehicular traffic. There was very little rain last year and for a mother turtle to construct a successful birthing chamber the sand must be somewhat moist, providing it the necessary structural integrity. Last week I came upon a mother attempting to dig a nest near the bufadora. At dawn she was digging her 9th unsuccessful hole as the sand was too dry. The recent rains should help nesting greatly.
Despite the reduced number of tourists last year, the motorized traffic on the beach was constant. A tire track is a grand canyon to a hatchling and sends it on a fatal journey parallel to the water. Most motorized revelers drive on the beach between the high tide line and where desert vegetation begins, exactly where the nests with their fragile “chimneys” are. If you know anyone insistent on driving through this precious habitat, implore them to drive at lower tides when wet hard sand is available and tire tracks will be erased by the next tide. - rawbaretoes@gmail.com
No Más Basura - Our next NMB Recycling Day is tomorrow Thursday the 16th. We will wait for you between 8am - 10am.
Thanks so much for supporting the cause and being a part of the solution! Your NMB team! Feedback & PayPal donations: nomasbasuralv@gmail.com
Paramedics of La Ventana/El Sargento - I am posting on behalf of Lupita (Guadalupe Cosio Barrera) and the ambulance service of La Ventana/El Sargento area. They are enrolled and attending a certification program in La Paz, for 8 months, called (TAMP), “tecnico en attention medica prehospitalaria”, or “prehospital medical care technician certification”. With 8 paramedic members, costing 750 pesos/month each, the total cost to Lupita will be around 2,400 USD + expenses (travel expenses, food, personal equipment, uniforms for the classes).
It is very important that each members get their certification, as this is a new rule that everyone must comply with.
This program and expenses are not covered by the government or any organization, so Lupita must come up with the money to pay for it on her own. And as many of you know, Lupita does not get a salary for doing her work and is providing us with the ambulance service as a volunteer. If you can help and contribute to this cause, everyone in the community, as well as all visitors that come to our beautiful towns and kiting paradise, will benefit.
The easiest way to make a donation is via Lupita’s Paypal account
paypal.me/ambulancia247. Alternatively, if you wish to donate pesos or cash in person, you can
message Lupita directly if you speak spanish, or myself, and I can help with translation or to pass the funds to her.
On behalf of Lupita and the whole team Grupo Sierra El Sargento La Ventana, we thank you for your support - manonlevac@hotmail.com
