Last Monday Hurricane Jimena slammed into the Bahía Magdalena region of the Baja California peninsula. There were no fatalities, but the majority of homes and infrastructure in the region were destroyed or severely damaged.

The Bahía Magdalena region is critical for sea turtle conservation as a hotspot for both loggerhead and black sea turtles. Conservation heroes from the communities of San Carlos, Puerto Magdalena, Puerto López Mateos, and San Lázaro have been our conservation partners for many years and have made great progress in protecting sea turtles. Many of these friends and their families lost their homes to Hurricane Jimena and they now need our help.

Victor de la Toba, lighthouse keeper of Cabo San Lazaro, and veritable loggerhead conservation hero, hunkered down with his wife Maricel and their children in their home in Lopez Mateos during Hurricane Jimena. Soon after the hurricane’s eye passed their roof was torn off – while they were inside. They took refuge in the Proyecto Caguama research station for the rest of the storm and came away unscathed. Their house, though still standing, is unlivable.

Julio Solís, a local fisherman who founded and now directs Magdalena Baykeeper in San Carlos, and his family have also been uprooted. Two thirds of Julio’s home was torn apart when Jimena made landfall.

A new roof for Victor costs $500. Rebuilding Julio’s house will cost $2,000. Our target is to swiftly raise funds to help these and other families rebuild their lives.

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to the Pro Peninsula Fund at The Ocean Foundation today. Click here

and please note ‘Hurricane Fund’ in the comments section of the donation form. If you would like the funds to go to any family in particular please contact us directly.

Many thanks,
Mark Spalding, President, The Ocean Foundation
Kama Dean, Program Officer, Pro Peninsula Fund at The Ocean Foundation
Aarón Esliman,Executive Director, Grupo Tortuguero
Hoyt Peckham, Director, Proyecto Caguama
Wallace J. Nichols, Co-Director, Ocean Revolution

Read more on Chris Pesenti and Chuy Lucero's blog (Spanish version at top; scroll down for English)