San Pancho/Turtle News from Costa Verde Ecological Frank D. Smith - Ecological Group of Costa Verde
April 3, 2017

Hola Volunteers, Supporters and Readers ~

Turtle wise; not a great deal happening on the beach, very few nests, some nests have hatched naturally, very few tracks were found. This is a little unusual for this time of year, although it is a welcomed winter break from the summer rush.

Also because we received few late nests after November, we had no hatchlings to publicly release after the first of the year, and no way to get the word out that we had T-shirts for sale. As a result, overall donations are only 24% of normal, while our T-shirts sales are down by 33%. You can still help if you have not received a 2017 Homeowners Directory or would like a T-shirt, stop by our house and Lisa or I will help you.

We are still seriously in need of several good volunteers. Tell your friends that we have good lodging, great beaches, outstanding restaurants, good potluck dinners, and good environmental work if they wish to join us. The schedule chart shows the dates that need to be filled.//www.project-tortuga.org/selected.html
 
Weather-wise; daytime temperatures were mostly in the low 70°s to mid 80°s, nighttime temperatures were down to the low 60°s to very low 70°s. The beach has totally closed the lagoon off to the sea, and bright green water plants completely cover its entire surface. We received 0.04 inches of rain in March; the total for the year is 1.04 inches.

The only unusual weather event in the past months was the unpredictability of the subtropical jet stream that generally crossed over México from November through May. A small change in this jet stream has altered to some degree our weather pattern by allowing earlier than normally number of thunderclouds along the higher mountain crest.  

Town and Country wise: As compared to the last decade, tourism this year is still at its maximum. The peso is wildly fluctuating between 19.0 to 20.0 pesos per dollar; regular gasoline in San Pancho was 16.2 pesos per liter.  

So….what happens when you build an underground car garage a few feet above average sea level, eighty feet from the highest surf, and we have a small hurricane float by? You have several dozen vehicles filled with saltwater and sand, and the owner of the garage looking foolish and sweating blood. So….What happens when newborn hatchlings hit the surface of the beach and see the blinding lights of forty-eight condos. So….what happens when people in town are told that the beach between Las Palmas and the ally is only for hotel occupants, as they do in Nuevo Vallarta. So…. what happens when you add 100 flush toilets and a giant swimming pool to a town that already has water and sewer problems?

We have sad news for those volunteers and renters that knew Gato Gordo, our yellow cat. He was seriously mauled in our yard by a pit-bull. He suffered a dislocated hip (joint/femur separation) and a broken pelvis. We rushed him to a Puerto Vallarta animal hospital for surgery, but a short time after the operation; he died.

For his age, he was a youthful companion, who enjoyed climbing trees, playing with the other cats, but best of all each night he would jump on my bed, lay beside me, and purr, he loved me, as much as I loved him, I will profoundly miss him.

Gordo showed up on our doorstep five years ago as a hungry, abandoned cat, sick and in serious need veterinarian care. Joslin took him to Julio and from there we both gave him a new home.

We would like to thank Joslin and all those who donated money to purchase over a dozen flashlights. These flashlights when turned off will glow in the dark, which will make them easier to find in the dark when they are accidentally turned off.

Frank D. Smith, Director
Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde, A.C.
Project Tortuga
Tel. 311-258-4100

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