A land ownership dispute in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, is believed to be threatening the development of at least 35,000 sea turtle babies.

On November 20, a stretch of beach in Rancho San Cristóbal — 25 kilometers north of the resort city — was leveled by heavy machinery, destroying in the process 28 turtle eggs that were about to hatch.

The beach in question has been the site of conservation efforts as thousands of endangered sea turtles of different species use it to lay their eggs every year.

An environmental group had been working on the beach with the authorization of the owners of the land, but a third party surfaced on September, claiming ownership and threatening to evict the environmentalists.

The third party has taken possession of the land, obstructing access to the beach and the turtle eggs.

Abilene Colín, a representative of the environmental organization, explained that despite the dispute her group has continued keeping records, which indicate there are about 400 nests with a total of at least 35,000 eggs.

The group has filed a formal complaint before the federal environmental protection agency, Profepa.

Colín said the newest owners of the land intend to develop tourist facilities there focused on the hatching of sea turtles.

The federal Attorney General has opened an investigation into the work that was conducted on the beach.

Source: BCS Noticias (sp), El Sudcaliforniano (sp)