We are a Mexican NGO dedicated to sea turtle conservation and environmental education as well as many other projects all designed to care for our beautiful blue planet. 

The pioneers of sea turtle conservation in Veracruz: 

The founders of Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. started saving sea turtles on the north coast of Veracruz in 1967. The fisherman Marcelino Yepes together with his wife Librada Gerón Dominguez, dedicated their lives to protecting, conserving and investigating the endangered sea turtles. Thanks to their enormous effort and struggle to save them from extinction, it is possible for us to still have the opportunity to receive so many nesting female turtles of different species on our beaches. Their eldest son, Ricardo Yepes, decided to continue with their legacy of 48 years of sea turtle conservation and founded Fundación Yepéz - the Yepez Foundation to continue this legacy. 

Today the organization has several projects from reforestation to beach clean ups and were awarded the first Blue Flag on the entire Gulf of Mexico in 2015 as well as winning the Environmental Premium for Veracruz in 2015 given by the Governor of Veracruz.

About Us

We are many environmentalists from all over the world who since 48 years have been working hard to construct a different world and we can be found in all corners of the world. We are many wanting to build a clean "home", a better world. Fundación Yepez A.C. conserve sea turtles, protects their environment and the ecosystems in which they inhabit. Thanks to all those who have been part of what we do and who have believed and trusted in our projects , because thanks to you, we have been able to continue conserving these last dinosaurs of planet earth. 

Our projects

Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. main activity is the conservation and protection of sea turtles, which return to the same place where they were born, to nest. Only the females come back to land when they reach their reproductive age and only one in 10,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood. Sea turtles have lived on this planet for more than 150 million years. Of the seven species of sea turtles in the world, five species lay their eggs on the Gulf Coast of Mexico; the Kemp´s Ridley, the Green turtle, the Loggerhead, the Hawksbill and the Leatherback. Apart from our sea turtle conservation work, we protect the environment in many sustainable ways, such as through eco-tourism, intelligent reforestation, community programs, recycling programs, beach clean-ups, environmental events and especially through environmental education.

Conservation

Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. protects the nesting female sea turtles that arrive to nest on our beaches, as well as their nests and hatchlings that emerge from the sand and make their way into the ocean. Our conservation program includes beach patrols day and night as well as moving nests from risk zones to safe areas and releasing hatchlings into the ocean.  There are many ways to protect the sea turtles and we do what we can to save them from extinction and protect their habitat. We also protect other species such as the blue crab, crocodiles and other wildlife in the region as well as the ecosystems in which they live such as the beach, the mangroves and the ocean.

Environmental education

One of the most important methods to protect the environment is through environmental education. Educating our future generations, we also ensure the protection of the future generations of sea turtles and the planet as a whole. Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. works together with various educational institutions as well as with the local communities realizing more than 200 conferences per year as well as organizing environmental events especially to raise awareness about the critical situation of the sea turtles but also addressing many other environmental issues. We would be more than happy to visit your school or university so please feel free to get in touch with us for more information.

Clean beaches

We have been organizing beach clean-ups for many years both together with the local communities and visiting groups to protect the nesting habitat of the sea turtles. Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. is currently working towards the certification of our beach as a Blue Flag beach, an international eco-label. The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services.

Reforestation

Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. is dedicated to intelligent reforestation, using sustainable techniques and planting native or endemic trees. We organize reforestation campaigns together with our communities, schools, universities and different environmental groups. Reforestation is very important to our organization, not only as a way of fighting climate change but planting native trees that bear fruit also helps save sea turtles. 

How?

Once the sea turtle predators such as birds have alternative food, such as mango or avocado, they will no longer need to eat as many sea turtle eggs.  In 2012 we founded and organized the First Regional meeting of Reforestation in the Tropical Humids of the Gulf of Mexico together with other NGO´s and environmental groups in the area, the three levels of government and with international organizations and governments to promote reforestation in the region. Tortugas Fundación Yepez A.C. also organize reforestation campaigns with schools, universities, the government and business partners throughout the year. 

We participate in events such as the National Reforestation Day, the international ENO reforestation campaigns, the National Conservation Day, Earth Day and many more.

Sea turtle photo-identification

Fundación Yepez A.C. has implemented a photo identification project for the sea turtles as an alternative and non-invasive method to identify unique individuals and to enable data recollection to help evolve our conservation efforts. Fondo Ambiental Veracruzano initially funded the project and we continue to work in collaboration with the Wildlife Photo-ID Network and experts from different fields around the world.