What It's Like to Be a Marine Biologist at a Luxury Beach Resort in Puerto Rico

Travel+Leisure

November 19, 2019 at 4:53 PM

What It's Like to Be a Marine Biologist at a Luxury Beach Resort in Puerto Rico

<p>Marcela stops to pick a few sea grapes from a coccoloba uvifera tree. The juicy and bitter fruit grows naturally around the resort and in the Caribbean; the casual poolside restaurant on the property near Casa Grande is named after the local fruit.</p>

<p>You’ll find these beautiful, elegant Great Egrets around the resort, especially at the koi pond near the main house looking for some snacks.</p>

<p>Iguanas are not native to Puerto Rico, but they can be found all over the island. The iguanas near Bahía spend their time in the trees. Be sure to not get too close if you find yourself in a kayak beneath them.</p>

<p>On my kayak tour with Cañón, we came across this termite mound on a palm tree; she was ecstatic about its existence. While termites in your home might be a nightmare, termites in the natural environment are incredibly helpful to the breaking down of dead wood. Cañón works with Perez to test the water around the resort.</p>

<p>On the edge of the resort and the Río Espíritu Santo Natural Reserve is the mouth of the Río Espíritu Santo (the Holy Spirit River). This river was littered with large appliances and trash when Cañón started on the job, but with frequent beach clean ups, it’s turned out to be a peaceful clearing where sandpipers and pelicans nest. Mangrove trees are planted along the edge of the river to help prevent major flooding.</p>

<p>Along the shores of Río Espíritu Santo, migratory birds enjoy newly formed tide pools as sandpipers run along in the sand.</p>

<p>Cañón walks with Duke through the banana and plantain trees in the farm area. The resort grows its own fruit and vegetables and will soon have a few chickens and beehives, abiding by sustainability practices. If offered any passion fruit during your stay, give it a try. You will not regret it.</p>

<p>Inside the flower of a banana tree where the fruit will grow.</p>

<p>From early May to mid September, the beaches of the resort are home and host to the nesting and hatching of leatherback sea turtles. It becomes important after the hatching period to check the nests for any lingering unhatched sea turtles. During my stay, Marcela found one buried under the weight of sand and became an emergency rescue to get the hatchling free. </p>

<p>The leatherback sea turtles hatch under the protection of marked nests along the beach and guests are welcome to view from a safe distance. The sex of sea turtles is determined by temperature — ones born earlier in the season during cooler temperatures tend to be male, and as it becomes warmer, more females hatch.</p>

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What It's Like to Be a Marine Biologist at a Luxury Beach Resort in Puerto Rico

What It's Like to Be a Marine Biologist at a Luxury Beach Resort in Puerto Rico

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