The developer of a new resort of residences and a boutique hotel on an island in the Gulf of Chiriqui off Panama’s Pacific coast has committed to preserving the nesting grounds of sea turtles, as well as aquatic life generally, on and round the island.
The nesting season for sea turtles lasts from April through October and is the only annual chance for the giant, air-breathing reptiles, which are endangered and threatened, to expand their shrinking populations. The Panama coastline is a key nesting ground for many sea turtle species, and its warm, equatorial waters are home to five different types: the hawksbill, loggerhead, green, leatherback and olive ridley species.
At this time of the year, newly hatched turtles can be seen struggling across Panama’s sandy beaches towards the sea.
“People occasionally come across a nest of sea turtle hatchlings on some of the area beaches,” says Ben Loomis, president of Amble Resorts and its Panama real-estate project, The Resort at Isla Palenque. “The sight of these rare little sea monsters really heightens your sense of responsibility and protectiveness.”
The Panama coastline is a key nesting ground for many sea turtle species, and its warm, equatorial waters are home to five different types: the hawksbill, loggerhead, green, leatherback and olive ridley species
Loomis and his development team recently won an American Socity of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Honor Award for their ecologically sensitive master plan for The Resort at Isla Palenque. Next month, Amble will launch sales of homes on the island, which is located in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui, with homes due to be handed over to their owners in 2012.
Even under ideal circumstances, the trials for the survival of sea turtles are various. They don’t reach breeding maturity until they are 30 years old and their hatchlings run a gauntlet of predators before and after reaching the safety of the sea. Recently sea turtle populations have sustained additional blows. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, unchecked development ruining nesting sites, unsustainable fishing practices and water pollution are all combining to threaten their existence.
The Resort at Isla Palenque aims not to contribute to the problems facing sea turtles. “To prevent hatchlings from being disoriented, we’re limiting the use of bright artificial lighting near the coast,” says Loomis. “And to make sure mother sea turtles can come ashore to make their nests, we’ll avoid constructing artificial barriers near the shore.”
Once The Resort at Isla Palenque opens in 2012, wastewater treatment and recycling practices will be implemented to reduce waste significantly and dispose of it responsibly , keeping the ocean pure and protecting the area’s wildlife.
The Resort at isla Palenque is a new resort of homes and a boutique hotel scheduled to open in 2012 on Isla Palenque in the Gulf of Chiriqui, which is on Panama's Pacific Ocean coast. The resort has committed to preserving the nexting grounds of sea turtles on the island and to use sustainable practices to help preserve aquatic life in general in the vicinity of the island
Panama’s coasts provide many nesting havens for sea turtles during this vital season. Chiriqui Beach in the Bocas del Toro Province remains one of the most important sites for nesting leatherback turtles in the Atlantic Ocean. According to The Sea Turtle Conservancy, as many as 7,170 to 14,005 endangered leatherbacks nest between northern Costa Rica and central Panama.
On the Pacific side of Panama, the similarly named Gulf of Chiriqui is home to a rich variety of marine life, including multiple species of sea turtles. Nature-loving travelers boat, dive and snorkel around the Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park and the Coiba UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“If more people can get close to natural wonders like these sea turtles, in a responsible way without harming them, then they’ll feel that same sense of responsibility and protectiveness I do,” says Loomis.
Amble Resorts’ new Panama real estate project, The Resort at Isla Palenque, will be a secluded and sustainable residence community opening in late 2012 with a unique boutique hotel, ingeniously designed residences and luxury amenities. For more information, visit www.islapalenque.com.
Related to this story:
- New Panama City Highrise to Be Hard Rock’s First Latin America Hotel
- Boutique Hotel Opens in Historic Property in Panama City’s Casco Viejo
- Starwood to Open First Two Westin Hotels in Panama by 2012
- Sustainability is Economically Sensible in Island Resorts: Amble
- Luxury Resort Planned for Panamanian Island
