As part of the celebration of World Reef Day, observed on June 1st and coinciding with Marine Biologist Day, the first edition of the festival Tortuguero for a Day was held on Saturday, May 31, 2025. This initiative was a collaborative effort between GPG, through the Tuxpan III and IV Combined Cycle Power Plants, the Nakú Kayám Turtle Camp, and the Scarus Collective.
The festival welcomed 100 participants, including camp technicians and volunteers, students from the Faculty of Biological and Agricultural Sciences—specifically from the Marine Biology and Biology programmes at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV)—as well as their families, local fishers, and marine conservation enthusiasts, such as the Environmental Education groups from the distance-learning high schools along the “Ruta de los Kilómetros.”
Throughout the Saturday event, attendees had the opportunity to experience first-hand the work of a monitoring technician, commonly referred to as a tortuguero. They also learned about the biology of the three turtle species that nest on the beaches of Tuxpan. Participants gained insight into the protection efforts for three emblematic species: the Kemp’s Ridley (Lora), Green, and Hawksbill turtles, and explored their connection to the Lobos-Tuxpan Reef System (SALT).
The activities were designed to encourage group integration, beginning with a sensory exercise on the beach, where participants were invited to listen to the sounds of the sea, seabirds, and the wind. The programme featured a roundtable discussion titled “The Relationship Between Sea Turtles and Reefs,” led by Dr Carlos González Gándara, a researcher from Universidad Veracruzana. Attendees had the chance to reflect and engage with the expert, who is also the founder of the Management Programme: Protected Area for Flora and Fauna of the Lobos-Tuxpan Reef System and one of the co-founders of the Marine Biology degree programme at the university’s Tuxpan campus.
With support from members of the Scarus Collective and monitoring technicians from Nakú Kayám, three hands-on workshops were held simultaneously: turtle data logging and measurement, corral building and egg extraction from nests, and turtle track identification in the sand.
Cultural activities included a Sand Sculpture Contest, where marine animals and even fantastical creatures like mermaids were brought to life on the beach. Meanwhile, in the Environmental Poster Contest, participants displayed messages promoting the conservation of sea turtles and coral reefs.
As part of GPG’s community engagement with civil society organisations, members of MarNatura A.C. presented the photo exhibition Who Lives in the Reef?. Marine biologist Vanessa Miranda Osuna Cisneros interacted with attendees, explaining details about the species featured in the images.
Tortuguero for a Day aimed to highlight the conservation work carried out by turtle conservationists. The event fostered learning, raised environmental awareness, and helped strengthen the community’s commitment to marine conservation.
