Under the Moonlight: Stories from the Beach with Sea Turtles

December 22, 2025

Sea Turtles

Protecting sea turtles isn’t just about numbers, data, and conservation plans—it’s also about the unforgettable moments that connect people to these ancient creatures. 

Every nesting season in Oaxaca, our team and community partners witness scenes that are both humbling and awe-inspiring: a hatchling making its first dash to the ocean, a leatherback hauling her massive body ashore, or an entire community coming together to help disoriented turtles find their way back to the sea.

These stories remind us why the work matters. They capture the wonder, the challenges, and the heart behind protecting sea turtles. Here are a few moments from our team that bring the magic of conservation to life.

Kelvin, Sea Turtle Conservation Coordinator 

“Of all the nights I’ve spent monitoring turtles at the Morro Ayuta Beach Sanctuary, there’s one I’ll always remember. It was a night during a mass nesting event, right under a full moon. The sky was completely clear, without a single cloud or star. That night, because of the moon’s intense brightness, many turtles became disoriented. Instead of returning to the sea, they moved further inland. What made that night special was that every member of the community team knew exactly what to do, and we did it with respect. We picked up the disoriented turtles and carried them back to where the waves met the shore. That night, we didn’t just save a lot of turtles; we also strengthened our community bonds, learned from each other, and remembered that caring for wildlife is also caring for our own history.”

Luis, Oaxaca Conservation Manager

“The first time I saw a leatherback sea turtle nesting was amazing. It’s such a huge and impressive animal. Watching it emerge from the sea under the moonlight was incredible. Its size and the great effort it took to come ashore made me think about how vulnerable they are and all the threats they face just to survive to adulthood. I still keep the picture of my first leatherback.”

Devon, Marketing Coordinator

My first olive ridley arribada was magic. A group of us were there to film it. The turtles are most active early in the morning, well before the sunrise. When the mother turtles look for a space to nest, they go into this sort-of trance where they let their instincts take over and help them find the perfect spot. As a result, they will bowl over/into anything (including other turtles and human legs) as they find their precious space. It was like they were under a spell, and it was such an honor to watch their animal instincts in their purest form under the moonlight. 

Each of these moments is a reminder that saving sea turtles isn’t just about science—it’s about connection, resilience, and hope for the future. Together, we can ensure that these stories continue for generations to come, by protecting the beaches, the turtles, and the people who care for them.

Angie, Director of Strategic Initiatives 

As the sun began to rise over the horizon, my colleagues and I arrived at Playa Escobilla, a remote beach in Oaxaca, Mexico, known for one of nature’s most extraordinary spectacles. We were there to witness an “arribada,” the Spanish word for “arrival” that perfectly describes the synchronized, mass nesting event of thousands of olive ridley sea turtles that we were hoping to witness. Despite having grown up in San Diego, CA, which has its own population of green sea turtles, and having seen a few individual turtles while snorkeling in places like Puerto Rico and Hawaii, nothing could have prepared me for the scale and profound beauty of this event. Seeing hundreds of these ancient and majestic creatures hauling their immense bodies onto the sand, digging their nests, and laying their eggs was a truly magical and moving sight. It was a powerful reminder of both their strength and their vulnerability. Despite their immense and seemingly invincible shells, they face profound threats from climate change, poaching, and human development. Watching their struggle and perseverance up close—their primal drive to ensure the survival of their species—filled me with a deep sense of pride for the work we are doing at WILDCOAST to protect them. This incredible natural event was a powerful call to action, inspiring me to continue the effort to ensure these magnificent animals have a future in our shared world.

As the moonlight fades and the sun rises over Oaxaca’s beaches, these stories stay with us—reminders of the fragile beauty and resilience of sea turtles. Each hatchling’s first steps, each leatherback’s return to nest, and each community effort to guide them home represent hope, connection, and our shared responsibility to protect these ancient travelers. By supporting conservation efforts, we ensure that future generations will not only read about these moments but experience the wonder of sea turtles under the same moonlit sky.

To give to our Save the Sea Turtles Fund, visit https://wildcoast.org/save-the-sea-turtles/