Sayulita Turtle Camp: Sea Turtle Preservation

Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita is a community project supported by local volunteers. The goal of this Sayulita organization is to relocate and protect the sea turtle nests, as well as educate locals and visitors about how to protect them from poaching. A huge effort has been put into programs to educate local children about the importance of sea turtle preservation and environmental compassion. 

Sayulita is along the Nayarit Coast and is home to the Olive Ridley sea turtles, which are the second smallest sea turtles found in the world. Sayulita is also home to Leatherback turtles, the largest of all living sea turtles. Locals and visitors can enjoy and volunteer to help at the sunset release of the hatchlings. Educating the local and visiting population and protecting the beach helps the baby turtles get a chance at life and has become an important goal within the Sayulita community.

The beaches of Sayulita are the perfect location for large numbers of sea turtles to nest. Although sea turtles live most of their lives at sea, the females return to land and lay their eggs. Female turtles always return to the precise location where they themselves were born to lay their own eggs. Because of this, it is extremely crucial to preserve the turtles natural habitat and protect their species from poaching. After incubating for about two months on the beaches of Sayulita, the two-inch long turtles hatch, and scurry down the beach to the sea.

Campamento Tortuguero has been working hard to protect the turtles on Sayulita's beach for over ten years and has successfully liberated over 260,000 newborn turtles. Both the locals and volunteers are dedicated to preserving the native sea turtles and their legacy. Volunteers not only assist in the baby turtle releases, but they also patrol the beaches at night so that the recently laid turtle eggs are not stolen and sold. 

Sayulita has been blessed with volunteers, night patrols, official uniforms, and interns as more awareness of the local program has increased. The creators of Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita emphasize their wish to keep the local Sayulita beach front clean and are trying to provide an example to others about volunteerism and how to give back to nature. The main season when volunteers are needed most are from the months of June to January. Sayulita's Campamento Tortuguero is now part of a civil association known as Red Tortuguera A.C. that has similar turtle camps in different areas of Nayarit. This Sayulita association has not been provided any funds, so the turtle camp is entirely dependent on volunteer time and donations from locals and tourists.

Campamento Tortuguero Sayulita welcomes all local residents and those visiting Sayulita to adopt a turtle nest. Turtle nests are available for adoption for $500 pesos and you will have the opportunity to release the baby turtles when your nest hatches. By adopting a turtle nest, funds go directly to the camp for use of materials, flashlights, wood for the incubation area, marking points, and more. To adopt a turtle nest, stop by the turtle sanctuary.

The turtle sanctuary is located near the end of the Sayulita beach on the North side. Volunteers are needed for nighttime beach patrol shifts and relocating the eggs. Be sure to check the North side of the beach every night from October - December around 5:30pm for the turtle release. Enjoy the sunset and help release the baby turtles, it really is a spectacular experience!