Turtle protection

There are heavy penalties for egg stealing in Mexico, a large fine and even a prison sentence for repeated offenders. This being the case, there is risk attached to the job of protection because there is money to be made from selling eggs and turtle meat which are a cultural delicacy. Israel is fairly fluid in the way he handles poaching and usually has "a little chat" with egg-stealers on the beach and confiscates the eggs but lets them keep some as an act of goodwill. This keeps the local people sweet and also makes them aware of the turtle protection program.

This week we have had some aggresive behaviour from one particular individual. Israel has admonished him repeatedly in the past, but on Thursday night when Jorge and Cibyl and Sammy were on patrol he threatened Jorge with a machete concealed up his sleave and threatened the lives of his family who live close-by. The girls were very frightened by the incident and Cibyl said it was the most softly spoken, and therefore sinister, death threat you could ever imagine.

On Friday morning I went out with Israel, (not quite sure what we would find), and saw the man wading across the lagoon with his dog swimming along side of him. He had on his shoulders a large bucket containing, what must have been, between 1000 to 1500 turtle eggs. He must have been working all night. Israel took a video of him and this will, no doubt, provide some evidence in any future legal proceedings. However, this process might take some time and the man continues to reek havoc.

On Saturday morning, the next day, I was with Israel on the beach with some students and we came across a recently killed turtle beside the lagoon. It had happened within the hour and the man's footprints were still visible in the wet sand where he had walked away from what was left of the turtle. He had prised open the shell and removed the meat and the eggs from the poor creature. Only the entrails were left strewn across the beach.

All this has left me with a dull depression, not made better by the departure of Cibyl and Sammy who left the camp on Saturday. I really miss you guys so much, the crazy sense of humour, (which so well matches mine), the girly discussions which caused Jon to hurriedly leave the table on countless occasions and of course everyone misses the pretty bikini-clad bodies which decorated the sandy beach every day. Hope you have managed to get the sand from all the crevasses - might take a few days. Joel has already moved into your tent and strung his hammock in front. 'Club Med Mayto' lives on!