Palmarito Sea Turtle Rescue

The mission of Palmarito Sea Turtle Rescue (PSTR) is to protect baby sea turtles in their increasingly fragile nesting habitat on Oaxaca's Palmarito Beach and other nearby beaches. From September to June, the twenty-two kilometers of Palmarito Beach is patrolled via ATV in search of sea turtles laying eggs. The nests are relocated to protected corrals to eliminate the threat of poaching by humans and wildlife, including dogs and birds. Weeks later, volunteers and community members release the hatchlings on the same beach they were found at dusk to protect them from predators.

Thousands of endangered turtle species have been protected and released through these efforts, including olive ridleys and leatherbacks. Valuable information regarding hatching rates, fertility, and nest sizes are recorded for each species.  

The Palmarito Sea Turtle Project also runs The Mazunte Project to help manage the overpopulation and well-being of rural dogs on the Oaxacan coast. Since its founding, PSTR has treated an estimated 6,000 dogs using a combination of safe spay and neuter programs along with parasites prevention and other treatments.  

For almost two decades, the PSTR Project has been protecting and releasing an estimated 40,000 – 60,000 turtles annually. And as a key component of any successful wildlife conservation program, PSTR also educates locals and tourists on the important role these sea turtles play in the marine ecosystem and their sustainable economic value to ecotourism.