Turtle Herding.....the Best Day Ever!

We rose at dawn to travel about 10 miles down the beach to the hatchling beach. The local Los Barriles Turtle Rescue group, Mexicanos and Americanos, has been working these beaches for years. They find the nests by following the mothers as they dig their nest. When the mother returns to the Sea of Cortez, they dig up the eggs, date the laying and transfer them to a large predator-proof caged area on this central beach on private property. They're placed back under the sand which is surrounded by another smaller cage that is dug deeply into the sand. volunteers are called for...that would be us...to herd the hatchlings into the sea so the big birds and other predators can't get at them. Each cage is dated so that they know exactly when they will hatch. Lucky us....3 cages full of hatchlings were released...about 250 babies. The extra pictures show them scrambling toward the sea. When one gets turned around or is washed back by the surf, we right them, turn 'em around and back they go. We end up following them all down the beach as the surf keeps washing them back. Soon, everyone has their personal little herd to watch for and keep safe. God-speed little ones!