#198 | Saving the Yucatán's Endangered Sea Turtles with Melania López-Castro, PhD

01/02/25 • 60 min

Join Brooke for a conversation with marine biologist Melania López-Castro as she shares her journey protecting endangered sea turtles in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. From tracking mysterious hatchling movements to implementing innovative conservation strategies, Melania discusses her work with Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan to save critically endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles. Learn how local communities, scientists, and tourism operators are working together to protect these ancient mariners, and discover how you can support sea turtle conservation in one of their most important nesting grounds worldwide.

Visit the website to read the full show notes.

Learn more about this episode's sponsor and how you can help save wildlife, SEE Turtles.

Recording gear provided by Mojave and Focusrite.

Donate to the show.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Yucatan Peninsula and Sea Turtle Conservation

00:54 Meet Melania Lopez Castro: From Academia to Conservation

05:20 The Journey of Sea Turtles: From Birth to Maturity

10:35 Challenges and Innovations in Sea Turtle Conservation

12:43 The Role of Pronatura in Sea Turtle Conservation

22:48 Tourism and Conservation: Balancing Act in the Yucatan

29:45 Switching from Fishing to Tourism

30:46 Collaborations for Conservation

31:57 Threats from Feral Dogs and Raccoons

37:00 Challenges of Coastal Development

38:40 Environmental Policy in Mexico

45:09 Efforts in Sea Turtle Conservation

51:25 How You Can Help

56:14 Connecting with Nature

Visit the website to read the full show notes.

Learn more about this episode's sponsor and how you can help save wildlife, SEE Turtles.

Recording gear provided by Mojave and Focusrite.

Donate to the show.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Yucatan Peninsula and Sea Turtle Conservation

00:54 Meet Melania Lopez Castro: From Academia to Conservation

05:20 The Journey of Sea Turtles: From Birth to Maturity

10:35 Challenges and Innovations in Sea Turtle Conservation

12:43 The Role of Pronatura in Sea Turtle Conservation

22:48 Tourism and Conservation: Balancing Act in the Yucatan

29:45 Switching from Fishing to Tourism

30:46 Collaborations for Conservation

31:57 Threats from Feral Dogs and Raccoons

37:00 Challenges of Coastal Development

38:40 Environmental Policy in Mexico

45:09 Efforts in Sea Turtle Conservation

51:25 How You Can Help

56:14 Connecting with Nature

Previous Episode

#197 | Top Hits 2024: Rewilding Grauer’s Gorillas: The GRACE Story with Laurie Cummins

The journey through 2024’s best continues! Here’s the fourth episode in our Top Hits of 2024 series—another incredible highlight from the year.

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[Repost] In this episode of Rewildology, host Brooke sits down with Laurie Cummins, the Acting Deputy and Education Director at GRACE (Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Laurie shares her incredible journey from Michigan to GRACE, where she now plays a crucial role in helping the team on the ground rescue, rehabilitate, and protect the critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas. The conversation explores GRACE's innovative three-pillar approach to conservation, which includes rewilding gorillas, protecting forest habitats, and engaging local communities. Laurie also discusses the organization's groundbreaking work amidst the challenges posed by the civil unrest in the region and highlights the importance of community-driven conservation efforts. Tune in to learn about the remarkable progress being made to save these majestic great apes and how GRACE is setting new standards for conservation worldwide.

Visit the website to read the full show notes. Recording gear provided by Mojave and Focusrite.

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Next Episode

#199 | Sea Otters & Kelp Forests: Rewilding Oregon’s Coast with Chanel Hason

In this episode of Rewildology, Brooke sits down with Chanel Hason, Director of Outreach and Community Relations at Elakha Alliance, to explore the ambitious effort to reintroduce sea otters to Oregon’s coastline. Chanel shares her incredible journey from marine biologist to conservation advocate and how Elakha Alliance is working with tribes, scientists, and local communities to restore balance to marine ecosystems. We dive into the vital role sea otters play in controlling sea urchin populations, protecting kelp forests, and fostering resilience along the coast. You’ll learn how grassroots conservation efforts are making waves and why restoring sea otters could be key to Oregon’s coastal future.

Visit the website to read the full show notes.

Learn more about this episode's sponsor and how you can help save wildlife, SEE Turtles.

Recording gear provided by Mojave and Focusrite.

Donate to the show.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:07 The Absence of Sea Otters on the Oregon Coast
00:46 Meet Chanel Hason: From Marine Biologist to Community Leader
03:28 Chanel's Journey: From SeaWorld to Miss Scuba
10:13 The Historical Context of Sea Otters in the U.S.
14:09 The Founding of the Elakha Alliance
16:11 The Impact of Missing Predators on Oregon's Marine Ecosystems
22:31 Efforts to Reintroduce Sea Otters to Oregon
28:12 Socioeconomic Considerations and Future Prospects
31:03 Conservation Tourism and Sea Otters
32:11 Indigenous Communities and Sea Otters
35:22 The Importance of Sea Otters in Ecosystems
40:07 Challenges and Strategies for Kelp Forest Restoration
43:13 Future Goals and Political Advocacy
49:07 Personal Journey and Career Advice
53:42 Supporting Alaka and Sea Otter Conservation
55:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts