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SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS
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From june through september, within just one our after leaving the shores of Isla Mujeres, your boat will be sitting smack in the middle of a seven mile radius of turquoise water replete with groups of whale sharks. The whale sharks are totally non aggressive and instead of fleeing from contact, you will be delighted by their curious, friendly and at times timid behavior. They pose no threat to humans because they are filter feeders. What makes the whale shark quest from Isla Mujeres exceptional is the opportunity offered by the waters here to see at close range large groups of these huge fish.
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PROTECTING THE SEA TURTLE EGGS
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If you are lucky enough to be on Isla Mujeres between July and September, you might take advantage of the opportunity to observe baby Cahuama turtles as they dig up through sixty centimeters of sand to free themselves from their eggs which have been buried during the incubation period.
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In 2005, over 50,000 baby turtles were hatched in this way on Isla Mujeres at the turtle Farm (Tortugranja) run by the city's Department of Parks and Muscums as part of the conservation efforts to protect and restore the sea turtle population in the waters around Isla Mujeres. Seven of the eight species of sea turtles in the world
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Seven of eight species deposit eggs on the beaches of Mexico for incubation and three of these species arrive on our island. The Cahuamas arrive in the greatest number followed by the White/Green turtles and some Carey turtles. Unfortunately, over the past decades the erosion of the beaches has reduced the nesting area available to the turtles consecuently threatening their ability to reproduce and survive in the long term.
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