Overview
- Conanp reported that the Morro Ayuta sanctuary protected about 1.9 million olive ridley nests and released more than 34 million hatchlings during this season.
- Local managers credited wetter beach conditions and suitable incubation temperatures for higher hatching success, with community camp teams and NGOs carrying out night patrols and coordinated monitoring.
- The 2024 decree creating the sanctuary provided dedicated budget for materials, equipment and training that helped scale protection and nest relocations this year.
- Threats remain acute: poaching and illegal egg trade, stray and feral dogs that dig up nests, marine debris, fishing bycatch and coastal development continue to endanger eggs and hatchlings.
- Michoacán beaches such as Colola, Ixtapilla and Playa Azul serve as key refuges for leatherback, black and olive ridley turtles, and sustained funding plus stronger enforcement will be needed to turn this season's gains into lasting population recovery.