Mexican Open tennis players release turtles into sea in Acapulco

World No. 39 Alize Cornet of France joined a group of tennis players in releasing some 200 Olive Ridley turtles on the beach at Acapulco, the venue for the ongoing Mexican Open tennis tournament.

Before sunset, nearly 300 people gathered on the beach to witness the release of the turtles, which were born early on Tuesday, into the sea in a ceremony that lasted about half-an-hour, reports Efe.

Cornet, her compatriots Pauline Parmentier, Amandine Hesse, and Germany's Tatjana Maria participated in the turtle's release after their elimination from the Open on Tuesday.

Marine biologist Georgina Saad, the coordinator of the Priority Marine Species Programme of the World Wildlife Fund Mexico, told EFE that the idea of releasing the turtles in the afternoon was aimed at protecting them from birds, crabs and other predators on their way out to sea.

Saad estimates that of every 1,000 specimens that reach the sea, only one will see adulthood, highlighting the need to ensure the species' survival.

The Olive Ridley turtles released Wednesday come from the Playa Larga camp, some 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from Acapulco, where some 288,000 turtles have been released during the past four years.

Two more releases will take place on Thursday and Friday.

The Mexican Open tennis tournament concludes on Saturday.

--IANS

sam/vm