"Endangered Sea Turtles Return To Mexico's Beaches"

"Mexico has deployed its navy to several beaches in the Pacific Coast state of Oaxaca. Its mission isn't to fight the drug cartels or protect European tourists, but to guard the nesting grounds of an endangered sea turtle.

In the 1970s and '80s, Olive Ridley turtles were harvested to the brink of extinction. But the Mexican government has orchestrated a remarkable comeback for the sea creatures.

This time of year, along a solitary sandy beach in southern Oaxaca, turtles bob in the waves just offshore. And then based on some signal — exactly what isn't entirely clear to scientists — the females come ashore by the thousands to lay their eggs."

Jason Beaubien reports for NPR October 16, 2009.

Source: NPR, 10/19/2009