As thousands of turtles arrive at a beach in Oaxaca, Mexico, to lay their eggs this season, federal and local authorities have been deployed to protect them against poachers. As the turtles nest on the Pacific coast, Mexican Navy patrols keep watch and a group of at least five biologists tirelessly keeps records on the number of nests and the eggs they contain. Each turtle deposits around 100 eggs each time she clambers ashore. La Escobilla has been declared a natural protected area to prevent poaching of the Golfina or Olive Ridley turtles. The turtles left about 1.3 million eggs in La Escobilla last year and biologists expect a similar number this year. One of the turtle guides says the site is the most important in the world.

This is the most important beach for marine turtle nesting in the world. It's above Costa Rica and India.

The turtles arrive in eight to ten waves between June and December. Each arrival can bring from 50,000 to 70,000 turtles. Due to protective measures, populations of Golfina have increased, and they're now classified as vulnerable, while the Leatherback, or Laud turtle is still critically endangered. According to the Turtle Center, there were only 100 nests built worldwide last year. Both species were hunted for decades, their eggs taken for sale or eaten. But in 1990, a law banned hunting and the sale of eggs and turtle meat in Mexico. Officials have also run public information campaigns to discourage poaching. Despite the law, environmental officials say the animals are still targeted. At La Escobilla beach, locals formed a cooperative to serve as guides and help protect the Golfina. Once they sold eggs and turtle meat. Now they understand that protecting their formerprey can be far more profitable.

We are very aware that the more we take care of this, the longer it's going to last.

The turtle sanctuary is open to tourists, who take boat tours into the Pacific to see the turtles swim in their natural habitat.