MEXICO: Turtle Eggs Stolen From Mexican Beach

Precious turtle eggs may be the latest casualty of Mexico's violent crime problem. Eggs from the threatened Olive Ridley turtle are being poached at an enormous rate along Mexico's southern coast - a prime nesting site.

Poachers have been captured on video operating in broad daylight. The turtles come to the coast every year to lay their eggs in the sand, but environmentalists say up to 80 percent of the turtle eggs are stolen because there is no one to protect them.

Angel Guillermo Gonzalez, Coordinator at Turtle Camp at Morro Ayuta Beach, saying : "We had permanent surveillance from the marines here. That means there was surveillance 365 days of the year, but in 2014 the surveillance was removed as a result of the crime situation in the country.

The marines are an institution that is dedicated to helping other states combat crime. But unfortunately tackling one problem leads to the neglect of others. So, since 2014 when surveillance was removed, poaching has picked up."

The sale of turtle meat and eggs is illegal in Mexico, but some locals say they need the money, with turtle eggs selling for about one U.S. dollar each.

Unidentified local man, saying : "We do this out of necessity, the people live from this, there is no other resource." Due to egg poaching and natural turtle predators, it is estimated just point-2 percent of turtles reach adulthood.