Whales • Pichichin Duck • Brown Pelican • White Tailed Deer • Black Iguana
MARINE TURTLE
The Marine Turtle Protection Program of Los Cabos, B.C.S., which began in the year 2000, has as a main goal to have the community participate in activities for the protection of the marine turtle species that nest in the Los Cabos area, it began with a series of informative activities, mainly in hotels, about the importance of the preservation of these endangered species worldwide.
In 2003, is when the Hotel Network is integrated for the Marine Turtle Protection in the Municipality of Los Cabos; with a group of 4 hotels that voluntarily joined to form the Interactive Surveillance Committee, coordinated and supervised by the Local Government of Los Cabos and PROFEPA (Federal Committee of Environmental Protection) and to date has 44 companies, in which Pueblo Bonito Group stands out because they have been members since its founding.
Since then Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, has developed internal and external programs of Marine Turtle Protection, that has been very successful due to the great interest and commitment of all of the contributors that integrate the protection of these legendary reptiles, for which a series of activities have been developed to preserve the beaches that our hotel developments cover, that are the main nesting areas of the two species of marine turtles: Olive Ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) and laud (Dermochelys coriacea); we have also had some spontaneous nesting of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas agassizi), responsibly covering different sectors of beaches that are currently approximately 5 kilometers, the most part is located on the Pacific Ocean and a small part on the beach known as the Medano.
The beaches on the Pacific side were not previously protected, because the beachfront properties were communal property, the turtles and their nests were exposed to all types of predators, because this zone has the most density of arrivals. With the acquisition of these properties by the Pueblo Bonito Group, their protection began with excellent results. Currently we have an incubation corral where we plant the nests that are collected during nesting season during nightly rounds that are done every day on quads by staff that are trained and certified by PROFEPA, then the little turtles are responsibly freed into the sea for the conservation, culture and knowledge, with guests, contributors and students, to therefore complete their reproductive cycle.
Our commitment with the marine turtle protection has been and shall be so firm that we have developed training programs at a professional level for the staff that is in charge of constant monitoring, by classes given by different important national and international institutions, and even the participation of Mr. Carlos Villalobos Martínez as an Investigative Assistant in the 2008 Green Turtle Program of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation in Costa Rica, who is currently the supervisor of the protection program that operates in our hotels. We have also participated in different national and international events on the subject matter of marine turtle preservation, with different conservational organizations.
Currently Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, has six companies that are members of the Marine Turtle Protection Network in the Municipality of Los Cabos:
Hotel Pueblo Bonito Rose, Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos, Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach, Pueblo Bonito Pacífica, Pueblo Bonito Constructora Turística and Pueblo Bonito Montecristo.
Since 2004 up to 2008 we have protected 41,092 eggs of olive ridleys, laud and green turtles, and freed around 35,000 young turtles into the sea, with which our effort and dedication is rewarded, with hope that some day the population of marine turtles in our seas shall increase and these majestic animals may freely swim for the benefit of mankind itself.
WHALES
Based on the practice of whale watching during inadequate occasions in the area of Los Cabos, Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, in coordination with Secretaría de Marina and Natural Resources Secretaria (SEMARNAT) and the National Committee of Protected Areas (CONANP), integrates the actions and programs to contribute for he purpose so that this activity takes place in a sustainable manner, and in such a manner that the users and visitors, as well as local inhabitants, enjoy the conditions of security and attention on behalf of tourism service providers and fundamentally respects the basic essential space of the whales, to achieve a responsible, respectful and full observation.
This is how 150 contributors of Pueblo Bonito Group, received previous training, through workshops on general environmental matters by the SEMARNAT, with particular information on local biodiversity and especially of the whales with simple terminology to be able to transmit to the guests the natural wealth of Los Cabos and in a special manner to marine wealth of the region.
As part of the induction workshops, the norms and regulations were explained for the development of the whale watching activities, such as:
- The rapprochement of transit watching must be in a diagonal line.
- The maximum allowed speed is of 4 knots or 8 km.
- The vessel must remain motionless with the motor on in neutral gear.
- When the whales begin evasive swimming with rapid changes in direction and velocity, it is recommended that the vessels move away at low speed.
- Only a maximum of 2 vessels may remain, any other vessel must wait at a distance of at least 8 meters.
It was also made known to the contributors as a fundamental part, that during the whale watching activity the following is prohibited:
- To cause the dispersal of a group of whales.
- Harass or harm the whales in any way, such as obstruct their routes.
- To come between a mother and calf, or go near whales that are mating.
- Use vessels such as; Jet-ski’s or wave runners, kayaks, canoes or inflatable submersibles, as well as ultra light planes and helicopters.
This is how the contributors of Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, received the elemental training and began the responsible formation, integration and participation of the Chain of Communitarian Hotel Whale Watchers of Los Cabos (Red de Observadores Comunitarios Hoteleros de Ballenas de Los Cabos), and also increased and enriched their environmental knowledge about these mammals that will help them strengthen the protection and conservation of these whales in their natural habitat in this hidden tourist paradise located on the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), in Baja California Sur, México.
PICHICHIN DUCK
Pueblo Bonito Group, in consistency to their commitment to establish preservation actions for the care of local fauna, has put together a protection program for the pichichin duck (dendrocygna autumnalis), Brown pelican (pelecanus occidentalis) and grey heron (Ardea herodias) in joint efforts with the Mazatlán Acuarium; that consists of giving attention to the birds that come to our beaches and then give then to trained personnel in the Mazatlán Acuarium for their corresponding medical attention, for their later release into the green areas of the municipality of Mazatlan.
As a result of these actions in the year 2008, 18 pelicans, 2 herons and 22 pichichin ducks were given to the Mazatlán Acuarium; making a total of 42 rescued birds. With this type of actions Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, manifests their commitment to the care of local fauna.
PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE BROWN PELICAN
The Brown Pelican, known in formal studies as Pelecanus occidentalis; is found on the coasts of America. It inhabits the Atlantic, from New York to the mouth of the Amazons, having been documented from Nova Scotia to the north, and Rio de Janeiro in the south; it has also been seen in Bermuda. It is also in all the Caribbean Islands. In the Pacific, it is located from Vancouver Island to the south of Ecuador.
This bird has adapted to the advantages that the wealthy marine coasts provide. They are not particular in regards to the topography; they are seen on sandy beaches, on rocky cliffs, mangrove swamps, even in places with trees. It has adapted well to constructions and is very common in ports and other places with fishermen.
Their diet consists mainly of shallow water fish, such as sardines, anchovies, herring, mullet, etc. and rarely does it include crustaceans. And it should also be mentioned that they eat everything the fishermen throw away when cleaning their catch.
Pueblo Bonito Group, through the Letty Coppel Foundation, has implemented a protection program for the Brown pelican, which consists of giving attention to injured pelicans that come to the beaches of the Pueblo Bonito Group hotels in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and México.
The attention given to the pelicans begins with the hotel staff detecting the injured birds; they take them away from the beach area and give them to personnel of the Mazatlán Acuarium, where they are assisted and freed.
During 2008, 18 pelicans where rescued on the beaches of the Pueblo Bonito hotels in Mazatlán.
WHITE TAILED DEER PROGRAM
Deer form part of the history of Mazatlán; in fact etymologically, Mazatlan comes from the náhuatl language and means “land of deer” (mazatl: “deer”, tlan: “land” or “place”).
The scientific name of white tailed deer is Odocoileus virginianus, which we can find in the south of Canada, all of the USA except three states of the west, north and central Mexico and some areas of Central America and Bolivia.
This species habitat has a vast variety, such as forests, grasslands, swamps, farms, bush areas and deserts. The dense brushes of any type are their preferred places. It is believed that the predilection that it has for dense cover is the main factor of protection against hunters, unlike antelope and mule deer that prefer open areas.
As mentioned, deer form part of Mazatlan’s history, some examples of such are the Dance of the Deer (La Danza del Venado) and Island of the Deer (La Isla Venados).
BLACK IGUANA PROTECTION PROGRAM
The scientific name of the Black Iguana is: Ctenosaura pectinata; it is an herbivore that grows up to 75 cm. In Mexico, we can find it through out the pacific coast from the south of Sinaloa to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
The Black Iguana is an endemic species of Mexico; its natural habitat is found in the regions of the evergreen seasonal forest and the semi evergreen seasonal forest. According to the Official Mexican Norm NOM-059-ECOL-1994, the Ctenosaura pectinata species is listed among the category of endangered species; therefore it is prohibited to capture of sell these species.
in consistency to their environmental policy, Grupo Pueblo Bonito through the Letty Coppel Foundation, the black iguana protection program has been implemented within the hotels facilities of the Mazatlán group; this is because they have green areas and because these iguanas are endemic to the area, so they can be found in such areas.
The program consists in not bothering this species that is endangered on behalf of the guests and contributors. There are also discussions for our contributors for the care of the iguanas.
Marine Turtle • Whales • Pichichin Duck • Brown Pelican • White Tailed Deer
