For the start of the nesting season of Tinglares turtles On the Puerto Rican coast, a group of volunteers joined this Saturday to clean the beach La Pared, in Luquillowhere they filled 60 bags – of 30 gallons each – of garbage, given the risk that these waste represents for the species.
Among the most frequent waste that collected the almost 200 volunteers from the 2025 edition of the event “Abraso to the Corridor”, were the microplastics, the cigarette butts, the cans and the bottles.
“When they are a bit larger, which are bottles and cans, the mother tinglar, when it goes out to make its anide, If she sees that the area is not suitable and, among that, something may be on the road, she returns to the sea and not nests in that area. It may be in another area, but they seek that the area is suitable, ”he explained Adriana GonzálezOrganization strategist Sierra Club Puerto Rico.
“The microplastics and those small garbage where they will affect us is in the hatching, which is when the nest is born… Tinglar neonates, which are baby. When they come out, if they meet – and we have found them there, sadly – they can get entangled. They are entangled in plastics and may be confused (on their way to the sea) “he added the impact of garbage on the process of reproduction of sea turtles.
González stressed that, in this edition of the event, which is carried out annually since 2009, the amount of garbage diminished, something that sees with good eyes, because it denotes that awareness has been effective regarding the importance of maintaining clean ecosystems.
In addition, he highlighted the fact that the number of people registered to participate in the event increased substantially. Before, participation was between 60 and 70 volunteers and, this year, the figure increased to 199.
The annual activity, which coordinates the Pro Ecological Corridor Coalition of the NortheastThe wall is done on the beach because it marks the beginning of the Coast Strip that is part of the Natural Reserve, which runs from Luquillo to Fajardo. In addition, it is where one of the main turtle groups with presence in the corridor comes from.
González also said that, by the beach to be located in an urban area, with a lot of movement of people, the protection of sea nidos involves greater rigor.
“All the nests that appear there attract a lot of attention, so we have to make sure they are well marked, that people do not step on them. We are always very aware of those nests, because many people see them. Many of the other nests are further on the beach ”held.
Apart from the cleaning of the coast, the activity had an informative table so that people could learn more about the nesting of sea turtles and a talk in which they were oriented on the ecological, historical, economic and social importance of the corridor , as well as the community struggle to protect.
In 2024, the corridor turtle groups marked 278 tinglar nests and two shell hawksbill nests. It is estimated that they were born on 3,000 turtles of these nests.
Sierra Club Puerto Rico spokeswoman indicated that nests usually develop without major problems. However, one of the threats are natural issues, such as strong swellswhich, if they reach the nests, can drag the eggs before the turtles can go to the surface.
“The loss of coasts with high swells means that, even if the mother Tinglar and Anide comes, for the moment, the nest is taken by the sea. So the Increase in sea level and coast erosion It is something that does not affect much in the corridor, ”he said.
González also invited the public to attend the Tinglar Festival, which will be held on April 12, in Luquillo Square. In addition to the typical cracks of the festivities in Puerto Rico, the environmentalist stressed that it is a community meeting space with an educational approach on the world’s largest marine turtle.