Playa del Carmen is an excellent place to come to observe sea turtles. Thanks to local conservation efforts, sea turtles are quite common in the waters around our reefs. Tortuga (Turtle) Reef is named for the huge population of hawksbill sea turtles that live there.

The most common sea turtle around Playa del Carmen is the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). This turtle is internationally listed as critically endangered. Global estimates put the number of nesting females under 23,000. This is one of the smaller turtles with adult shell lengths under 1m/3ft and weights under 68kg/150lbs.

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle can be identified by its narrow head and hawk-like beak. It has 4 scales in front of its eyes. The nuchael scute (first shell scale above neck) does not touch the first costal scute (large side scale). It has 4 large costal scutes.

Hawksbill turtles are commonly seen feeding, with a large following of other fish feeding on the things the turtle stirs up. Adult hawksbills enjoy eating anemones, lobster, shrimp, sponges and squid, among other things.

A less common site is the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). The loggerhead is internationally listed as endangered with a global nesting female population estimate of less than 45,000.

Adult loggerheads have shells measuring about 1m/3ft and weighing up to 160kg/350lbs. Their nuchael scute touches the first of their 5 costal scutes.

Loggerheads are mostly carnivores. They enjoy crushing shellfish with their large powerful jaws. Their diet includes clams, crabs, mussels, lobsters, oysters and shrimp.

The green sea turtle (Chelonian mydas) can be seen here on occasion. It is internationally listed as endangered with a global nesting female population of fewer than 89,000.

The green sea turtle is about the same size as a loggerhead. It only has 2 scales in front of its eyes and 4 costal scutes. Like the hawksbill, the nuchael scute doesn’t touch the first costal scute.

Adult green sea turtles eat mostly algae and sea grass.

Sea turtles and the oceans need our help. Please be an informed consumer. Try not to buy seafood caught by longline or trawler. Ask your grocer if they buy from fishing companies that use turtle exclusion devices and sustainable practices. Watch your plastic. Clear plastic in our oceans resembles jellyfish, a food of sea turtles. Countless turtles die choking on this garbage every year.

While here, please respect the turtles. The turtles here are very tame and don’t mind being close to divers. Please don’t change that by touching or grabbing them.

Want to help or learn more? Check out our friends at the Centro Ecológico Akumal. www.ceakumal.org - Centro Ecológico Akumal - Ocean Research, Environmental Education, Sea Turtle Protection & Marine Research