- Mexico is a nesting ground
for at least five out of seven sea turtle species worldwide.
Between the months of May to September,
in the popular vacation towns of Tulum and Cancun,
endangered turtles, like the loggerhead
and green turtles, are setting up nests on the beach.
Volunteers like the one in our next film,
Aurora (Dawn), patrol the nest to make sure
every baby turtle makes it to safety.
Their sanctuary is one of the largest in the country.
So come along to see what it takes
to help protect a species at the brink of extinction.
This is Aurora (Dawn) from filmmakers
Emilio Alvarez and Daniel Mendoza.
(waves crashing)
- [Narrator] In the afternoon, we count the eggshells
and rescue the turtles that get stuck
at the bottom of the nests.
Most of them have barely a few hours outside of the egg
and getting them out to safety until nightfall
is their only chance to ever reach the sea.
Sometimes we have to dig
around three feet deep to find them.
And even though a lot of them don't make it,
it's worth the effort.
At the camp, we patrol the beaches every night
in the search of sea turtles that come to nest
so we can have an accurate record
of all the specimens that come to Xcacel each year.
You can be burned out, but being surrounded
by everyone getting ready, somehow lifts your spirits up.
(people chatting and laughing)
You walk through the beach,
feeling the sand on your feet,
the wind in your face, hoping for it to be a windy night
that keeps the mosquitoes away.
You feel connected to the sea, the stars.
And wait for the first sea turtles of the night to appear.
Loggerhead and green sea turtles
come to the shores of Xcacel to nest,
both endangered species.
Some can take over two hours nesting,
and can lay more than 120 eggs.
The immense effort forces them to stop constantly,
but only to take a deep breath
and carry on with determination.
We don't just take measurements.
We also protect them from any adverse situation
that could happen along the way.
To witness how they end in these beaches,
such a long and rough journey always leaves me in awe.
They're completely free.
They go wherever they want through the vast ocean.
However, they always come back.
They never forget their home.
(waves crashing)
To be part of this program,
you have to be able to adapt.
Sleep little, have odd schedules,
but it's easier when you're accompanied.
We're volunteers of all ages and all parts of Mexico
who have come together to put all our energy
in the protection of this natural sanctuary.
Xcacel is a very attractive place for tourism.
And even though it's a natural protected area,
it is constantly in danger by resorts and real estate firms.
That's why this conservation project is so important.
At dusk, when frigatebirds leave,
the newborn sea turtles can hatch safely.
On one side, the immensity.
On the other, the tenderness of the newborn sea turtles,
going towards the sea.
It's incredible to see how it all coexists
in the same space.
For every thousand sea turtles that cross the beach,
only one will come back as an adult.
But that doesn't stop them.
They just hatched, they're new in this world,
and they go straight to adventure,
to the toughest and longest journey of their lives.
(intense inspirational music)
The sea rolls them over,
but they keep fighting to get to their destination,
guided by the moonlight.
That perseverance is inspiring.
(waves crashing gently)
The nights are always long and exhausting,
but all this tiredness disappears with dawn
and you feel part of the landscape.
You can't stop up thinking
about the little sea turtles
and the journey they just started.
Deep down, you feel very happy for them
and you feel proud for the work you've done.
(waves crash)
And your day begins and you know,
you're doing the right thing.
(light, inspirational music)