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Day 251 of 365 Things To Do in Panama

Day 251 of 365 Things To Do in Panama. Save the Baby Sea Turtles!

It is turtle hatching season! The busiest nesting period is August through November when female turtles bring themselves out of the water at night and lay their eggs on sandy beaches. Scooping out the sand with her fins, she digs a hole around 45-80 cm deep and lays her eggs in it. Lastly covering the eggs with sand in an attempt to hide the nest. The heat of the sun incubates them. Interestingly, the sex of the baby turtle is determined by the temperature of the nest - above 29C they are female, less than 29C they are male.

Amazingly the baby turtles all hatch from the nest nest at around the same time, digging themselves up to the surface of the sand, then heading down the beach to the sea. Making the trek can be dangerous as they are vulnerable to the sun, birds and crabs as they race down the beach. They have a greater chance of survival once they make it to the deep water.

In Panama, four species of sea turtles nest on the coast. These are the green turtle. loggerhead turtle, leatherback and hawksbill.

There are opportunities all along the coasts of Panama to observe nesting and the birth of thousands of turtles. There are also tours that focus on the conservation of sea turtles. You can contact them to witness this amazing event. or reach out to one of the organizations in Panama working to conserve sea turtles.

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