You might be surprised, but many people find this experience so meaningful they cry. This hardly surprises me because these small creatures feel magical, and it's exciting to watch them fight their way from their nest in the sand to take their first swim the ocean.
Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean, except when they are first hatched or when it's time to lay eggs for the next generation. Their nests are made by digging deep into sandy beaches. Once the eggs are laid, the Mama sea turtle uses her flippers to cover the nest with sand. She hopes that the nest won't be discovered by dogs or people who might disturb or damage the eggs.
Sea turtles have a difficult time moving on land because of their flippers, but once they make it to the ocean, they are incredibly graceful. They are very strong swimmers and navigate the oceans well. There are many dangers for sea turtles, especially when they're small but, if they can navigate the underwater world until adulthood, they maneuver in the water to eat smaller fish and sea plants without a problem.
Volunteers in Oaxaca organize to protect this special creature because there are many risks for baby sea turtles. There are so many risks that only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will make it to adulthood! Even though the mama turtles hide their nests in the sand, humans, dogs or other animals can easily dig up the nest and disturb the eggs. Once the eggs are hatched, these tiny sea turtles must work very hard to find their way to the ocean.
