For four years, navy infantry men in the different keys of the Archipelago department, carry out monitoring and protection of sea turtles.
Serrana, with 42 identified nests, is positioned as the cay with the highest concentration of nests in the entire zone.
The Colombian Navy, within the framework of the Blue Sea Turtle Sanctuary environmental project, accompanies and protects the first voyage to the sea of dozens of hawksbill, big-headed, green and leatherback turtles, actively contributing to the conservation of these vital specimens for the balance of sea ecosystems. As of 2025, four of the 80 identified nests have hatched, giving birth to more than 400 young turtles.
This operation is led by the Specific Command of San Andrés and Providencia - CESYP- with the support of navy in the naval checkpoints of Albuquerque, Bolívar, Roncador and Serrana, who carry out permanent surveillance to work for the safe entry to the sea of the newborn turtles.
Since its creation in 2021, this initiative has been consolidated thanks to the coordinated work of CESYP, the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Archipelago -CORALINA- and the Sea Turtles Foundation; institutions that have carried out educational activities in monitoring areas during hatching seasons, and in demarcation techniques, leading to collect key data on these specimens in the zone.
In addition, the Sea Turtles Foundation gave the staff special red lights to reduce the alteration of the turtles' behavior during the night, as well as handheld PIT tag reader devices that have led to, to date, marking 27 hawksbill and loggerhead turtles.
It should be noted that the season started in June, and it contemplates the incubation of approximately 11 thousand eggs. Currently, the Serrana and Bolívar keys concentrate the largest number of nests, thanks to favorable environmental conditions, low light and noise pollution, as well as a well-preserved natural environment.
Source: Press – Navy of Colombia
