Sea Turtles Part 1 of 4
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" Wanting to understand life will always be the greatest ambition, but also the most naive of all. "
Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra, explorer and documentary filmmaker.
Sea Turtle - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
The story of sea turtles in Mexico is one of many contrasts. A species that has existed on Earth for millions of years was brought to the brink of extinction by human predation. Despite being on the verge of extinction, it managed to recover in numbers in a truly impressive way thanks to the actions of those same humans. And while this may seem like something to celebrate, we cannot let our guard down for a second. Even though these efforts have worked, thanks to laws and regulations with very strict penalties, this species remains on the menu and a target for many poachers. What impresses me most is that many species have survived mass extinctions caused by nature, but when you compare this to the extinctions we humans have caused, we are the most dangerous.
I think we've all seen a turtle in some documentary or photograph, but when I saw them with my own eyes and the way I saw them, it changed everything I understood about them.
A sea turtle is a reptile that hatches from an egg its mother buries on the beach. Year after year, she returns to the same spot where she was born to lay more eggs, and so on with each generation of turtles. It's a system they learn intrinsically, and even today, we struggle to understand how they manage it all. Nature has a beautiful way of organizing life. After approximately 50 days of incubation under the sand where the eggs are buried, these small and beautiful creatures begin to emerge. They crawl to the sea with little agility but a lot of adrenaline, because from that day forward, among the thousands of turtles that manage to reach the sea, if they aren't eaten by a bird first, only one will grow into an adult and return to lay eggs in that same place.
Visiting turtle camps seems like a fun and pleasant idea, but that all changes when you're actually there, witnessing this natural phenomenon. Many turtles die seconds after hatching, devoured by birds. And once they enter the water, the number of predators they face only increases.
Documenting the marine world and its inhabitants has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it's a true adventure; you meet incredible people and have the opportunity to dive and swim in underwater realms that seem like a dream. But one of the most beautiful gifts of this profession is being able to witness, body and soul, the beings that inhabit the waters. Sharing space with wild animals is incredibly enriching, and although it sounds romantic, these animals communicate so much to us when we observe them with care. And that's the most difficult part: trying to capture with the camera the moments where these species impart lessons for our lives. It's no coincidence that humans invent fables and all these stories where there are lessons hidden between the lines we read.
Turtles mating - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
Nature forms sacred and perfect patterns and geometries from its tiniest expressions, and nothing is perfect without an altered chaos that breaks the mold to put things into perspective. Without these contrasts, we couldn't describe good and evil, or darkness and light. And in every beautiful story you know or interact with, there comes a sharp blow of reality where you also encounter the evil and the tempest that exists within the majesty of the world.
Turtles are resilient and extremely important for the planet's balance, but at the same time, they are animals that could disappear in the blink of an eye. While I observe all the beauty of the natural world from a panoramic vantage point within my mind, I am also analyzing moments of chaos and destruction, because all of this is always happening simultaneously.
I took a flight to Huatulco and from there drove to a beach called La Escobilla, a place famous for one of the most beautiful natural spectacles one can witness on Earth: one of the largest turtle nesting sites in the world. Millions of turtles arrive on this coast to lay their eggs. Watching from a distance as thousands of turtles emerge from the water and search for the perfect spot to dig a hole is thrilling. They have to cross giant waves that could easily slam them against the seabed and end their lives. These waves have tremendous force, and once on the beach, they crawl across the sand for many meters, some even hundreds of meters, and then begin to dig, slowly pushing the sand to create the perfect depth to lay the eggs that will give life to this species, which carries within its existence a kind of wisdom that would be very difficult for us to understand. Witnessing this is just a small glimpse of how difficult these animals' lives are, both before and after their hatching.
Turtle on the reef - Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
To mention a few of the animals that prey on turtles, there are these that my friend Sostenes Rodríguez told me about:
Beetle, Pileles, Flies, Ants, Fungi, Humidity, Dogs, Badger, Raccoon, Coyote, Gray Fox, Opossum, Armadillo, Skunk, Crab, Birds, Vultures, Stork, Spoonbill, Nocturnal, Tuna, Skipjack, Needlefish, Marlin, Sailfish and Sharks.
It's one of the living beings with the most predators in the world, so I'll stop mentioning animals on this list for everyone's sake. But I will say that we have been the only predator that has threatened their very existence.
The sunsets in the places I visit are always a spectacle. Every shade of color is different, every brushstroke of light in the sky has its own unique texture, and the scene of sky and earth reflected in the ever-changing mirrors of the water makes each one completely unique and unrepeatable. The beauty of continuity and the infinity of circumstances always influence our daily lives. Anyone who believes these things don't have a metaphysical effect on us hasn't yet opened their eyes, hasn't truly been born. Because when we begin to see existence, that's when life truly begins.
Explaining life has always been the greatest challenge for all thinkers, explorers, and scientists. Wanting to understand life will always be the greatest ambition, but also the most naive of all. Yet it is in this folly that many of us journey to find meaning in our lives. Hopefully, one day someone will discover the answer to that simple question whose complexity has never allowed us to find a solution.
Turtles must understand life in a way entirely different from how we have tried to. They have been here far longer than we have, and they have managed to survive in ways far wiser than the way we have attempted to exist. Our intelligence seems to have disconnected us from that natural wisdom. It has given us pleasures and emotions, ambitions and abilities to try to shape the natural world. But nature will always prevail when it comes to disrupting the way it has functioned for all its life. There are animals that can see sound, and others that can hear color. And with that said—how much do we truly understand?
Turtles travel unimaginable distances only to return to the very place where they were born. There are periods of their lives about which we know absolutely nothing. And despite understanding so little about them, they have managed to create a deep sense of empathy within us, humans. In Mexico, a person caught hunting, trafficking, or consuming a turtle can face up to 30 years in prison. It is one of the species we have protected the most, and because of that, turtle populations around the world continue to exist. Yes, we were the ones who nearly drove them to extinction—but we are also the ones who have helped ensure their survival. This is something I believe we should do for every species. And although we are trying, we truly need to treat many other forms of life on this planet with the same urgency and care.
La Escobilla is a beach that has now become a sanctuary for turtles. It stretches for about 25 kilometers, though only 15 of those are officially protected, and within roughly 7 kilometers is where the turtles gather most densely to nest. That does not mean they don’t nest along the entire 25 kilometers of shoreline. With the arrival of the turtles, people also begin to arrive—excited to witness this phenomenon. It is a strange and powerful feeling to see so many turtles and so many humans sharing the beach at the same time. The turtles do not seem disturbed by this; over time, they begin to understand that we are not a threat to them in that place.
Most people respect this sacred act. Though some may see it as a spectacle, something deeper is happening. Each person who witnesses it begins to understand life differently. They start to empathize with everything these beings are doing simply to exist—and this is part of the reason for the conservation success of this species. When we deeply connect with animals, we begin to protect them. That is why it is so important to continue fostering connection—not exploitation, but understanding how our role can serve to protect biodiversity and the natural world.
A clear example of this is the family and group of people who now work in this refuge. Not long ago, they were hunters themselves, surviving by feeding on these animals. Together with others who hunted and consumed turtles, they nearly made them disappear; fewer and fewer turtles were reaching the shores. If this had not been addressed in time, that same family would have faced serious consequences. But they came to realize that these animals are worth far more alive than dead.
The regenerative tourism built around this species now represents an important source of income for the state. Turtles attract millions of people and are among the greatest teachers. I dare to say that simply observing them brings a deeper understanding—and a desire to protect the natural world for its own sake. An ancestral wisdom we still do not fully comprehend. A way of communicating that only turtles know.
And with that said, let me share the behind-the-scenes story that changed my life while documenting these turtles. Some of the answers to how they find their way back to the place where they were born—and many of the questions that arose in my mind after documenting this beautiful species.
You can watch the documentary on YouTube, but the story as I lived it—you will only be able to read later.
"Wanting to understand life will always be the greatest ambition, but also the most naive of all."
Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra