On August 30, a Mexican nonprofit dedicated to sea turtle conservation released between 3,200 and 3,500 sea turtles into the Gulf of Mexico from a beach in northern Veracruz.
The nonprofit, Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C., was founded in 1967 by fisherman Don Marcelino Yepez and his wife Librada Gerón, affectionately known as “Mama Turtle.”
Their legacy lives on as their eldest son, Ricardo Yépez, continues their mission today.
“It’s already August 30, 2026, and well, the moment has arrived — the time has come to see the culmination of sleepless nights, hard work, patrols, [and] all-nighters,” Yépez said in an Instagram Reel.
According to Yépez, tourists were putting nesting sea turtles and their eggs at risk by approaching, touching, and even climbing turtles.
Patrols intensified in August after a pregnant green sea turtle was reported dead on a beach in Nautla, Veracruz. Afterwards, Yépez issued a public warning to tourists to give nesting sea turtles their space, according to reports by La Jornada.
In the weeks since, Yépez and his team of patrollers set up protected sites and moved nests from high-risk areas to small enclosures where they could hatch in peace.
“Today they are being released back into the ocean without any form of harm,” Yépez said, as he crouched on the beach, shoulder to shoulder with his volunteer team. “There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude to all the people who call us, who alert us, and who take responsibility for beach areas.”
“A huge thank you to all these angels whom God has placed in our path so that we can achieve our conservation goals for this endangered little animal,” he continued. “We’re celebrating 59 years of work — it’s easy to say, but it’s 59 years of continuous seasons, of persistence — and thanks be to God, and thanks to all of you, it’s possible for us to continue today. From my parents’ time until today — that’s 59 years now.”
At the end of his speech, Yépez said that there weren’t “enough words” to thank everyone who made the release possible.
“Well, today we’re going to release roughly 3,200 to 3,500 baby turtles,” he said. “Ready, guys? Uno, dos, vámonos!”
In unison, the Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. team released the sea turtles onto the sand from their respective buckets. As they raced to the water, the sea turtles tumbled on top of each other and wiggled their flippers, eager to reach the surf.
“Congratulations on your 59 years!” one Instagram user commented. “You say ‘it’s easy,’ but it's a lifetime of dedication and effort that not everyone does.”
Watch the release below:
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Screenshot via @fundacionyepez/Instagram
