Last Saturday, we were invited by ViVAZUL to release sea turtles into the ocean. ViVAZUL is an organization in El Salvador that seeks to change the thinking and attitudes of Salvadorans about the conservation of the ocean. Part of that vision includes restoring the population of sea turtles from Salvadoran beaches on the Pacific Ocean. ViVAZUL works with local communities to form incubation sites for sea turtle eggs and when the eggs hatch, they invite groups to come and help release them. We were blessed to be able to share in this exciting, educational experience!
Before leaving the house, the kids colored pictures of turtles and signs that said “Libere las Tortugas!” (Free the Turtles!) and taped them all over the cars. When we got there, the women who had started the organization talked to us about sea turtles and gave us the opportunity to ask questions. Here are some interesting things that we learned about these adorable, facinating creatures:
-Only one in every 1000 turtles survives to adulthood.
-In its lifetime a sea turtle will lay 3500 eggs. That means only 3.5 of those eggs will survive to adulthood.
-Allowing turtles to make their way into the ocean themselves is important because they need to learn and remember the beach. In 15 years, turtles will return to lay eggs on the same beach in which they were born.
The kids were so excited to release the turtles and even gave them names before putting them down in the sand. The baby turtles knew exactly what to do and walked right into their new home in the Pacific Ocean.
Thank you to Club Activo 20-30 of San Salvador for sponsoring and coordinating this activity, and thank you to ViVAZUL for a great day!