The Grand Mayan is, in addition to it’s superb lodgings and amenities, an outstanding place to view and appreciate Nature. The extensive grounds include lush landscaping as well as several large ponds. There are several species of hummingbirds in season as well as numerous Passerines and the ponds have fish and other creatures which draw herons, egrets, and, Anhingas which prey on them.
The gorgeous beach also draws female endangered Ridley’s Sea Turtles to lay their eggs in the sand. Their trails can be seen going from the water to beach and back again. In the interest of preserving this species, there are trained workers who look for and follow the trails to the nests where they carefully dig up the eggs and then transfer them to a big enclosure on the beach which is surrounded and covered with wire mesh. There the eggs are reburied in the sand and left to hatch. The covering protects the hatchlings from aerial predators as they rush to the sea. The same workers police the beach for nests which might have been missed and when they find hatchlings emerging they gather them into a bucket where they are held until after dusk when the predatory birds have gone to roost for the night. Then they are released into the surf. It is exciting to experience these efforts first hand on behalf of an endangered species and the Mayan provides that opportunity.
