• ASUPMATOMA is a non profit organization. Our U.S. Affiliate is WIDECAST.
• Focuses on the environment and preservation effort of the sea turtle along the southern state of Baja California, Mexico.
• Environmental Education for children, students, volunteers and tourists.
• Sea Turtle Sanctuary.

Although the official papers for ASUPMATOMA were completed in the last months of 1995, the organization was founded in Cabo San Lucas 18 years ago. Sr. Rene Pinal, its current President, along with a small group of residents and local biologists, started working for the protection of these local endangered species. A turtle nursery was built in 1990 at Rancho Punta San Cristobal located approximately 15 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas. In 1997, through a generous donation from the Westin Regina Hotel, we were able to build an updated camping facility for the 1998-1999 season. In 1999 P.A.D.I Project Awareness Foundation donated $2,000 and together with biologist, Dr. Scott Eckert at Hubb's Sea World Research Institute and Mexico National Institute of Fisheries represented by M.C. Laura Sarti, ASUPMATOMA placed a satellite transmitter on the first Leatherback Turtle from Baja California Sur. Keep in touch

ASUPMATOMA volunteers watching the hatchlings head for the ocean

Scientific Research Program
This year ASUPMATOMA initiated a conservation and protection program on the most important nesting beach for the leatherback sea turtle in Baja California at Agua Blanca. This effort was a collaboration of Ms. Laura Sarti, Director of leatherback sea turtle research for the government of Mexico and Dr Scott Eckert, HSWRI, San Diego, CA.

This area was discovered during an air census of leatherback nesting that is conducted over all of Mexico and Central America each year. We now know that Agua Blanca is the site of at least 8% of all leatherback nesting in Mexico. Most significantly, this nesting population does not appear to be undergoing the radical decline that is affecting the rest of the Mexican nesting population, which is dropping 22% per year. Research satellite-tracking of leatherback turtles from these beaches is resulting in a significant gain in data that is vital to efforts to stabilize the Pacific leatherback population. Stay tuned! The season ends March 2001.

Thanks to a kind donation by Mr Pat Daily of San Diego, Ca , ASUPMATOMA was FINALLY able to purchase a NEW ATV for the leatherback research team at Aqua Blanca.

With your generous donations of time, equipment and money, we will continue to save tens of thousands of baby hatchlings.

For more information about ASUPMATOMA events and/or to become a member, please fill out the following form.