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Record-Breaking Turtle Season |
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Cozumel News -
2006 Archive
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Jul 26, 2006 |
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In the last month, almost 300 Loggerhead turtle nests have been recorded on Cozumel's eastern beaches by biologists and volunteers working for the island's Turtle Salvation Program.
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 Turtley cool. |
The Loggerhead turtles (Caguama or Cabezona in Spanish) return every year to lay their eggs on the same beach that they were originally born. So far this season the sheer number of nests has broken all previous records.
Loggerhead turtles weigh 100-200 kg (220-440 lbs) and grow up to 1 metre (39 inches) in length. Each female nests 3-7 times between April and July, laying over 100 eggs in each nest.
They are classified as an endangered species by the World Conservation Union. According to the Union, they are "facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future."
For more information about the Cozumel Turtle Salvation Program visit Cozumel Insider. Donate to ARKive - the "Noah's Ark for the internet era".
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