Sick baby turtles appearing on the beaches of Quintana Roo, Mex

An article by Armando Lorences from the newsletter of Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA):

In recent days there have been reports of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtle hatchlings appearing on the beaches of Quintana Roo, weak or already dead.

So far the exact causes are unknown. The person in charge of the network of sea turtle stranding in the Riviera Maya, MVZ Ana Negrete, suggests that the turtle hatchlings are suffering from dehydration and weakness. As soon as more information is known it will be announced.

Preliminary results, however, show that plastics have been found in the turtles' stomachs, suggesting they are starving to death. Plastic trash floating in the sea can resemble what the turtles would eat naturally, so they are ingesting the plastic, thinking it's food.

CEA is calling on area residents, businesses, and hotel to assist when they find a baby turtle washed ashore.

More about plastics in the ocean here and here.

See the trash taken from a green turtle's stomach.