Vehicle intrusion kills sea turtles on Chuburná beach, Yucatán

Dead sea turtles have been found on the beaches of Chuburná Puerto in Yucatán after motor vehicles repeatedly entered the protected sand dunes. Residents reported that cars and trucks crush hidden nests and disorient hatchlings, preventing them from reaching the ocean.

Biologists and environmental groups say the tire tracks, noise and light from the vehicles damage the sand’s structure, compacting nests and causing mortality of both adult turtles and hatchlings. They have urged municipal authorities and the federal environmental agency PROFEPA to increase patrols and impose penalties on drivers who violate the beach‑access ban.

The incident occurs during the peak nesting season, which runs from April‑May to October‑November, and highlights ongoing challenges in enforcing protection measures for marine turtles in the region.