While you may have pictures of a snowy Christmas in your mind at this time of year, for beach resorts in Mozambique it’s an altogether different season of celebration. Not only is this the heart of summer, with accessible beaches, spectacular skies, and breath-taking scenery, but there’s another treasure to celebrate. The endangered Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles both call the area around White Pearl Resorts home, and it’s almost time for nesting season! Their precious eggs will be laid on the beach, and you have a unique opportunity to help save these docile, gentle creatures and enhance your beach experience too!
An Ancient History
Did you know that sea turtles have been around for well over 200 million years? There’s 5 species, two of which- the Loggerhead and Leatherback- you will find here in Mozambique.
Imagine a glowing sunset over the crashing surf of a soft, warm beach. Slowly, scanning for predators and good nesting alike, a mother turtle walks out of the sea. It must be safe from danger and the high tide. Carefully, she digs herself a nest for her 120 soft white eggs, which she will gently cover. She kneads the surface to pack the sand, disguising her eggs from hungry eyes. Exhausted, she will retreat to the sea. In all likelihood, this was the beach she herself was born on.
In two short months, her babies will chew their way out of their egg with one specially-designed tooth. They face an immeasurable journey to the sea, fraught with predators. Less than half of them will make it. Sadly, human interference has shortened those odds even further, with wide exploitation driving population numbers down. White Pearl Resorts, however is proud to be part of the conservation initiatives keeping these ancient gentle giants alive and well.
A Modern Future
It’s been almost a decade of protecting endangered turtles in the Ponta do Ouro community for White Pearl Resorts. Our specially trained turtle monitors keep an eye on nesting sites, while the government has declared a 678 km2 marine protected area, stretching from Ponta do Ouro to the Maputo River Mouth, and three nautical miles into the ocean. It may soon become a World Heritage Site. Leatherbacks, the largest sea turtles, have been classed as critically endangered, with loggerheads making the endangered list, and they need our help. The monitors check on nesting sites throughout the season (October to end March), collecting data.
White Pearl Resorts’ quiet beaches are perfect as safe nesting sites, and we’re proud to work with others in this critical wildlife protection program. We host 6 turtle monitors, of the 42 working the coastline, and have structured our exciting marine turtle safaris to not only help you experience nature at her most magnificent, but help contribute to a vibrant, safe future for these exquisite, docile marine mammals.
Keen to know more? We will be shining a spotlight on our exciting marine safaris next month, so don’t miss out! Until then, White Pearl Resorts hopes all our followers and fans will have a safe holiday period, the same as our precious turtles.
