Grupo Tortugueros Los Barriles is a nonprofit organization that was started 10 years ago with 2 local brothers, Noe & Omar, turtle handlers rescuing, protecting & releasing these amazing Olive Ridley Sea Turtles, 2nd smallest of 7 Sea Turtles. While both working full time jobs they dedicate & volunteer their spare time & with permits to collect the eggs & for the concession to build the nursery Omar & Noe look for nests along our beach from La Ribera to just north of the turtle nursery. They reconstruct the nest in the nursery & data the number of eggs, the date it was collected, number the nest & expected date of hatching (45 days). Season starts from about June through November. Olive Ridley females will lay up to 100 eggs & can nest 3-4 clutches per season. They weigh up to 125 lbs & grow approximately 2-2 1/2 ft., maturity is 12-15 years, they are omnivores eating algae, seaweed/grass, jellyfish, & crustaceans. As a small operation & as natural as possible these 2 brothers make it possible during peak time to do morning releases in front of the nursery. And with a team of 6 more volunteers, for about 5-6 years, we help them out at the nursery & also at the community market with a stall “Turtlely Cool” – everything turtles & more, of hand crafted items for donations. To date approximately 350,000 + turtle hatchlings have been released, all thanks to Omar & Noe, “Turtlely Cool” brothers.
