"Cari knocked on our door at 6:30 am saying "baby turtles." We flopped out of bed, tired from swimming the day before, and went with her 5 minutes to a neighboring beach where a conservation group helps with the rehabilitation of endangered turtles. The whole family worked with 4 local children and the conservation group and let 50 baby turtles walk out to the ocean. Yet another life changing experience..."Ari Ballonoff, Denver, Colorado
From the moment they hatch, these little Baby Sea Turtles are racing to the ocean.
How many will make it?!
Here in Panama and around the world, the most beautiful girls heading to the beaches right now weigh in up to 2,000 lbs! We all might be feeling the added "COVID-19" and re-thinking that new bikini these days, but it's a lot harder for these luscious babes to get out of the ocean to lay eggs on the beach than for us to get off the couch and get some excercise.
That'll make you take a deep breath. Speaking of breaths, Sea Turtles lungs lay just below the surface of their shells on their backs. They have a lot of space under those big shells allowing them to hold their breath for up to 7 hours while at rest. How long can you hold your breath under water?
Now, dig deep down into the memory banks...can you remember the day you were born? Yeah, try as I might, I don't either but these little guys sure do. From the moment they hatch and make their death-defying waddle for the ocean, their surroundings, and their natural compass kick in to imprint the exact location they were born so they can return in the future to lay their eggs.
After about 10 magical years at sea, these fabulous females will return to the same place they were born to lay their eggs. They will nest a few times each season every three years. Living up to 100 years old, one female will lay up to 25,000 eggs but only 1 out of 1,000 of the hatchlings will make it to maturity as they face so many threats throughout their lives.
We are proud to support our local conservation group Fundacion Agua y Tierra. With their team of biologists us and our guests learn all about Sea Turtles and what makes them a keystone species to the health of our oceans.
Your Friends in Morrillo,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners and Hosts
Morrillo Beach Eco Resort