Several hawksbill (carey) turtle eggs have hatched on the beach in Punta Cana and workers and tourists watched in wonder as the tiny turtles slowly started walking towards the Caribbean Sea. “It was incredible and wonderful. All of us who saw the birth of these little turtles were impressed because it’s been many, many years since anybody in this area has seen anything like this, especially so close to a hotel”, said Jake Kheel, Director of the Punta Cana Foundation’s environmental program. Hawksbill turtles are an endangered species. Hoy newspaper reports that the baby turtles are now being looked after by technicians who work in the Punta Cana Foundation’s coastal/marine protection project. Within several weeks, they will be set free. If conditions are favorable, these turtles should come back to their place of birth in around 20 years time to lay eggs for the next generation of their species. Kheel stated his belief that the birth of these turtles on a hotel beach is closely linked to the work being done to improve conditions on the beach, which had started eroding, the improvement of the quality of water in the coastal area, and above all, the care and health of the coral reefs which had been damaged severely by fishermen for decades.