Tecolutla Marine Turtle Research is a collaborative project of many organizations. At its heart, its purpose is to expand on the nearly forty years of tireless efforts to protect Kemp’s ridley sea turtles in Tecolutla, Veracruz, Mexico by Fernando Manzano and his non-profit organization, Vida Milenaria. While Vida Milenaria continues to protect sea turtle nests and offers free daily educational talks at their camp in Tecolutla, the TMTR collaborative focuses more broadly on providing the scientific research needed to better understand the role that Tecolutla’s turtles play in the overall reproductive success of Kemp’s ridleys and how we can continue to improve the success of its nesting turtles. Please visit our “collaborators” page for more information about the organizations involved.
Part of the research effort involves bringing US university students from the University of South Carolina to Tecolutla to provide additional man power, learn about the rich local culture, and gain critical skills that will help them become effective researchers. If you are a student at USC, find out more about our Study Abroad program.