Casa de Campo Living
Resort community news and resources.
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March to November in the Dominican Republic is turtle nesting season – which means right now on the Dominican Republic’s many beaches; Hawksbill turtles, Green turtles and Leatherback turtles are laying their eggs – some even right here on Minitas Beach and on nearby Saona Island!
Sadly Hawksbill turtles and indeed all marine turtles are critically endangered in the Dominican Republic, making nesting season the most important time of the year to be mindful of these incredible creatures.
Marine turtles in Casa de Campo
There is at least 1 Hawksbill turtle known to nest every year at Minitas Beach. Last year (2012) we were lucky enough to actually witness and photograph the nesting process (click here for photos and the full story) and in 2011 a group of baby turtles were rescued and released from a rock pool on the beach (click here for photos and the full story).
Hawksbill Turtle on Minitas Beach in 2012

Closeby to Minitas Beach is the oceanfront neigborhood of Bahía Minitas, where Xiomara and Ramon A. Menendez have their Casa de Campo home – and where Xiomara told casadecampoliving.com she often sees Green turtles swimming in front of their property. These Green turtles she told us do not nest on her own property – but are known to nest on the beaches of other Casa de Campo villas in this area.
Marine turtles at Saona Island
Saona Island in the Parque Nacional del Este is the most important nesting area for marine turtles in the entire Dominican Republic, where more than 35 turtles (mostly Hawskbill, but also Green and Leatherback) known to nest every year from March to November.
The turtles of Saona Island are cared for by a fisherman named Negro, who until 7 years ago actually hunted the turtles – a common practice is this country as it is wrongly believed that turtle meat and eggs can cure erectile dysfunction. Now however Negro dedicates himself to caring for the baby turtles in his turtle sanctuary at Mano Juan village – collecting the eggs, keeping them in coolers until they hatch and then releasing them back into the ocean – a method which has increased the survival rate from 50% to over 95%.

Click here to read more about Negro and the marine turtles of Saona Island.
The entire coast of the East of the Dominican Republic is a haven for many marine wildlife species – especially dolphins and turtles, here are a few heart-warming stories you may enjoy:
Lost and found: baby manatee rescued in Bayahibe!
Last Saturday 13th of June 2012, a baby manatee, was spotted in the “Parque Nacional del Este” national park area and thanks to the “Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos” (The Dominican Foundation for Marine Research), otherwise known as FUNDEMAR, the manatee was successfully reunited with it’s parents. Here we share with you this great “rescue” story and photos of this manatee family that live here on the Eastern coast of the Dominican Republic!
Click here for the full story!
One man’s mission to save the marine turtles of Saona Island

Hawksbill turtles and indeed all marine turtles are nearing extinction in the Dominican Republic- but thanks to the tireless efforts of a humble fisherman from Saona Island, the numbers of these beautiful creatures are slowly increasing. Negro, who has lived on Saona Island all his life is a fisherman, a fisherman, who until 7 years ago was guilty of hunting turtles and their eggs- because many people in the Dominican Republic mistakenly believe that turtle eggs and meat can remedy erectile dysfunction…
Click here to read the full story!
Discovered: harmless Nurse sharks at Palmilla and other beaches in the La Romana – Bayahibe area

Rumors have surfaced about a man-eating shark patrolling the beautiful natural swimming pool (and popular party spot); Palmilla – and everyone is panicking! But wait, have there been any shark attacks at all? No? Why not? Because the sharks that have been spotted are Nurse sharks, which although big (up to 4m / 14ft) are according to Rita Sellares of FUNDEMAR (the Dominican Foundation of Marine studies), “inoffensive and one of the most calm shark species.”
Click here for the full story!
Meet Corazón; a cute bottlenose dolphin that lives between Bayahibe and Samaná!

As part of the International Day of the Oceans, celebrated last Friday June 8th, we received a cute and peculiar story about Corazón, a beautiful bottlenose dolphin, who loves visiting the warm coasts of Bayahibe, only 30 minutes away from Casa de Campo and Samaná, located on the North East coast of the Dominican Republic, and who with his frequent appearances near Bayahibe has been helping scientists develop a better understanding of the species.
Click here to read the full story!

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Casa de Campo Living is an independent, community run news site focused on helping our community enjoy their time in and around Casa de Campo.
This website neither reflects the views of Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, its administration or any of its subsidiaries and should not be deemed as ‘official’ in any way, shape or form. We just live here, work here and love it here, and hope you will too!
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Casa de Campo Living is a SILGON Publication.
info@casadecampoliving.com
(809) 523-2045
(849) 206-2209
CV5, Casa de Campo, La Romana.
República Dominicana.
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